The One Eyed King
by YanzaDracan
Summary: Sophie told Eliot he was no longer the same man that worked for Damien Moreau. The Leverage Team finds out he is still that man plus a little more. That's okay, a Hawk and a Spider have his back. Nick Fury had things arranged just how he wants them. Everyone all tucked up under the SHIELD umbrella, and they were all living happily ever after…or were they? Slash, Het & Threesomes.
1. Sometimes You Need A Scorecard

"Yeah."

"Barton's been compromised."

"Dammit!"

"Widow's on a retrieval. I hope we need you … After."

"Hope?"

"Loki has control of the Tessaract."

"What the fuck were you and Fury thinking?"

"You can kick my ass later if we live."

"Where?"

"Intel in route."

"Coulson."

"Yes?"

"I will collect on that ass kickin'."

"I'll do my best."

Looking at the information on his phone, he cut his morning run short and headed back to his apartment. The plane was waiting.

He was throwing his duffel in the back of the cab when Nate's little black Mercedes stopped next to him.

"Going somewhere?"

"Job."

"Thought you were coming to help with the theater?"

Eliot groaned inwardly at Sophie's disappointed expression.

"I was ... Now I'm not."

"Hey! Where's Eliot going?"

"Can you yell a little louder, Parker? I don't think they heard you across the river."

Losing patience, he got in the cab.

"Eliot?"

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"I don't know … Maybe … I'll try to let you know … Just … Try to stay out of trouble."

"Your file said you're inactive?"

All eyes turned to Parker.

Not willing to placate them further, he motioned to the cabby who dropped him at a vacant lot where a black Jeep took him to a private hangar.

Settled on the plane, a junior agent handed him a stack of files. The longer he read, the darker his expression turned. Eliot had known something was wrong before Agent Phil Coulson of SHIELD called. The bond he shared with Agent Clint Barton aka The Hawk or Hawkeye had gone silent causing him to spend what was left of the night trying to break through whatever had cut him off from his lover. The only thing his efforts garnered him was the fact that Clint was alive and a headache.

Up to date on all of SHIELD's intel, Eliot laid his seat back and closed his eyes. He had a feeling once the plane touched down in New York there would be very little sleeping.

~}}}~~~

Eliot Spencer met Clinton Francis Barton in Delta Force. Some idiot of a desk jockey thought it would be funny to team the least talkative person in training with the most talkative. After several post training discussions, which led to cuts, bruises and cracked ribs, their partnership settled ... Their love of anachronistic weapons sealing their friendship.

They were sent to separate units, but after a few months, Eliot had been called to his Colonel's office where the exasperated man had given Clint into his charge. The Hawk and The Wolf joined a group of elite whose identities were buried deep in the military rosters. They'd been together two years when those elite team members began losing their lives as mission details became compromised.

It came to a head when Eliot and Clint were sent to San Lorenzo to assassinate a General Flores. The two men had become suspicious of their CIA handlers and the intel they'd been given, so they cultivated contacts outside their normal channels. When they hit the ground in San Lorenzo, instead of killing Flores they had taken the General and his family into hiding. The traitors had gathered their assets and had run them to ground where The Hawk with help from Flores took them out with arrows and bullets while the Wolf hunted them on the ground with guns and blades.

They were holding their own until an asset got in position to take a shot at Clint. The Hawk's cry of pain was the last thing the asset heard as Wolf's sword pierced his heart. Eliot ran, shot and slashed his way back to the abandoned house where they'd taken refuge. There was a pause in the shooting as everyone checked their clips and reloaded.

Eliot leaned against the wall a pistol in each hand. Smacking them against his thighs to seat the magazines, he cocked the pistols while scanning what he could see without exposing himself. Taking a breath to center himself he stepped out of the door and stopped when he saw the rogue agents on their knees in front of a tall black man with an eye patch, a white man straight out of **_Men In Black_** , and a willowy brunette with eyes like glaciers. He raised his guns.

"Hawk?"

"I got Cyclops."

"I guess that leaves me with Dorothy and Toto."

"What about the other twelve?" The man with the eye patch asked.

"Cut the head from the snake …" Eliot shrugged as he assessed who would die first.

Everyone's breath stopped as they waited for what came next.

"And the body dies. Gentlemen ..." Black gloved hands spread to show they held no weapons. "Why don't we let my colleagues take care of hauling away the trash while we go somewhere more comfortable and talk?"

"Who is it we'd be talking to and why should we trust you?" Eliot drawled.

He had had enough. All he wanted was to get Flores and his family safe and check how badly Clint had been hit. Then decide whether to punch him or kiss him for getting hit in the first place.

"Nick Fury, Director of Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division or SHIELD. Dorothy is Agent Maria Hill and Toto is Agent Phil Coulson, and we've been trying to catch these guys in the act for a while now."

~}}}~~~

Eliot sat up and went to the galley in search of a cup of tea. Nick Fury had snatched them from Delta Force with such brutal efficiency that all their CO could do was whimper in submission. After their move to SHIELD they'd stopped hiding their relationship, and when Clint had come home with a Russian assassin trailing him like a stray pup, he'd thought his life couldn't get much stranger.

He'd expected the call to come from Agent Natasha Romanoff, The Black Widow, but figured Coulson sent her after Clint. Coulson was Fury's right hand same as Hill was Fury's left so their decisions were Fury's. He put a thought to the universe to protect them both. If Clint hurt or killed the red-headed assassin, Eliot never would get all the pieces put back together.

Taking his mug of tea back to his seat, Eliot turned his mind inward to his bond with Clint. Still there. Still silent. No emotions. No thoughts. He pushed his mind along the bond-searching. He hoped that like their mission to take down Operation Outcome, if he pushed hard enough he'd find where the archer was hiding inside his own mind. Just when he thought he'd found him a wall of blue appeared that he couldn't penetrate no matter how hard he pushed.

When he returned to the outside world, it was a toss-up as to which hurt worse-his head or his heart. He closed his eyes to push down the pain, but he'd cracked the door and the memories kept pouring through.

~}}}~~~

He exchanged a look with Clint when they were called to Fury's office. They hated the Director's missions. The end result left them battered, bleeding and close to broken. Fury had gotten word on a series of experimental programs the CIA was using to make black ops operatives so he set up them up as Kenneth Kitsome and Nicolas Taylor, and dropped them into the unit in Iraq led by Air Force Colonel Eric Byer, CIA liaison.

Unknown to Fury at the time, they had taken an extra precaution before the drop. They'd gone to one of SHIELD's pet telepaths and had her set an empathic bond between them so they would be able to feel if the other were alive, and to track them if necessary.

Eliot had used the bond to locate Clint and Dr. Shearing. He'd used Clint's favorite bow with tranquilizer arrows to knock them out ... The helicarrier only minutes behind him. Phil had debriefed the couple, and the battle was on to get to Clint to throw off Aaron Cross. It was not the first time Eliot and Natasha had retrieved their lover, but they lived with the constant fear that Clint would never emerge from under Aaron Cross, and they would lose him to Dr. Marta Shearing.

They'd been dragging Clint to the range every day hoping that communing with his bow would awaken The Hawk, but what had finally brought the Hawk back was the day his bond with Eliot went silent.

They'd never stabilized Eliot's cognitive changes like Dr. Shearing had done for 'Aaron'. Eliot kept that fact to himself, and when Clint didn't immediately come out from under the Aaron Cross persona, he'd stopped taking the blue pills knowing his system would soon crash.

When he next opened his eyes he felt weak and incredibly thirsty pinned down by a hawk and a black widow. Thankfully he could reach the water bottle without disturbing his exhausted lovers. Enhanced hearing picked up two sets of footsteps stopping at the door to his room. Enhanced sense of smell detected Phil Coulson and Dr. Shearing. The expression on her face told him she finally saw Clint Barton and Eliot Spencer ... Not science study subjects numbers 5 and 7. Phil led her away without a word.

The ass chewing from Fury was one of his more memorable, but the appraising glare and nod of approval and dismissal at the end left Eliot know the blustery words were for the benefit of the long ears on the command deck. Fury was well aware of the WSC spies among them.

Their lives settled into their sniper, retrieval specialist, and infiltration roles, a three person team with Coulson as their handler, until Eliot went undercover with Damien Moreau. After Moreau, Fury decided Eliot's reputation was an excellent way to bait people like Moreau. The information he collected on his retrievals was invaluable, and his life with Clint and sometimes Natasha 'settled' until he received a call from Victor Dubenich.

~}}}~~~

Eliot's thoughts jerked to the present at the thought of Dubenich. The past year had dredged up entirely too many nightmares that often drove him from the warmth of the two bodies not often enough in his bed. Scrubbing a hand over his face, he heard the whine of the landing gear and the smell of the ocean, alerting him they were about to land.

Senior Agent Phil Coulson met him on deck with an expression that spoke of exhaustion, anger, and worry. He hadn't seen Phil since debriefing him about the Kanack job a month ago so he took a minute to pull the man into the shadows and into a tight hug. He felt the older man relax, take a deep breath then nodded against his neck. Eliot released him.

"I had to send Tasha after Banner."

 _'Instead of Clint,'_ was understood. Eliot briefly rested his forehead against Phil's.

"All that comes through the bond is that he's alive."

Both men straightened and proceeded to the conference room overlooking the command deck where Phil introduced Agent Spencer to Iron Man, Tony Stark, Captain America, Steve Rogers, Bruce Banner, The Hulk and Thor. He greeted each man, Thor in his native tongue, which caused dropped jaws around the room and a thump of approval across his shoulders from the Asgardian. Coulson's eyes danced when Eliot gave him a wink that also acknowledged Natasha skirting the shadows.

Eliot listened until Rogers left with Phil. Going to the armory he got his tactical suit and collected his weapons. Employing Clint's mode of travel through the helicarrier, he lifted himself into the maintenance duct work and made his way to the detention level and Loki. Not even Natasha knew he was there as he watched her twist Loki's tail. He wanted to learn what he could about the entity that had taken over so many good people. The Black Widow turned away from the adopted Asgardian as he taunted her with death at Clint's hands. She touched her hand to her comm.

"He's after the Hulk."

She turned back.

"Thank you for your cooperation."

Eliot waited until she closed the hatch before dropping from the ceiling. He leaned against the railing arms crossed over his chest and watched Loki pace his cell. He paused in his pacing to verbally attack Eliot, but Eliot just gave him a pitying look and walked away, the trickster shouting curses behind him.

This was going to get ugly.

~}}}~~~

"Do you know anything about where he went?"

Alec Hardison smiled to himself at Nate's question ... Eliot had been gone two days.

"Knew you'd ask, but no. The cab dropped him at an abandoned warehouse. There's no tickets of any kind under any of my aliases or any of his that I know about."

"What about the idea Parker had of him being re-activated?"

"We just got settled. You really want me pokin' around government databases?"

Alec was surprised when Nate actually stopped to think about the question.

"It's not like this is the first outside job Eliot's taken. What's got you so up in the air about this one?"

Nate shook himself loose from his thoughts.

"This one feels different ... Personal ... Eliot was upset ... Worried."

Hardison's head jerked up.

"He was?"

"It's probably just my imagination."

"Seriously?"

"We'll give it a few more days. Maybe keep an extra eye on the news."

Nate rubbed tired eyes. The others had wandered off after dinner while he remained in the office. The guy covering for Eliot was a good chef, but the mastermind missed the passion that went into Eliot's creations. The retrieval specialist was going to be monumentally pissed when he returned to find Hardison had once again changed the menu. He wondered if the hacker was trying to drive Eliot away before Nate's plans came to fruition, or if the younger man was making a power play to cover his own insecurities. Hardison was always trying to best Eliot, forgetting the sharp intellect hidden behind the flannel and denim. He was considering taking Hardison to task when a flash of blonde caught his eye.

"Parker!"

"What?"

"Come sit for a minute."

His thoughts got sidetracked as he waited for her to settle.

"Twenty-three seconds."

"Huh? What?"

"You said a minute. You've got well … Twenty seconds left."

Shaking his head to clear the confusion, he got to the point.

"When we were in Boston, did you ever notice anyone with Eliot?"

"You mean like Nurse Gail?"

Nate smiled at the sneer in Parker's tone. Almost five years together and she was still territorial. Though she and Hardison were working hard at their relationship, she was jealous and suspicious of anyone Eliot dated.

"More like you and Hardison."

"There was this man and woman … I think they were like us ... Me and Eliot us ... Not the rest of you us. I only saw them once, but Eliot had some places I never found."

"Thank you, Parker."

Nate threw his whiskey back letting the alcohol burn in his throat sear the shock from his system. Eliot had safe houses Parker couldn't find, and friends ... He thought about Parker's description. People like her and Eliot. That was another shock, and explained her jealous protection of Eliot. The memory of the look they exchanged in the park when she'd asked Eliot what he did for Moreau. Parker had found a life preserver in Eliot's brokenness to keep her from drowning in the ocean of her awakened emotions.

If they lost Eliot, they might lose Parker.

Damn.

~}}}~~~

Eliot tapped his comm as he came back through the conference room on his way to the landing deck.

"There's going to be an attack!"

Hill and Coulson moved to scramble troops.

'WHAT! WAIT! How's he know that?"

Stark and Banner ran agile fingers over touch screen displays.

"Who's in that Quinjet!"

Hill barked from her post.

"They have the proper clearances."

"Whose?"

"Agent Barton."

Before they could move explosions rocked the helicarrier.

"We've lost an engine."

Thor ran for Loki's containment cell. Black Widow took Bruce deeper into the helicarrier where she hoped he'd remain calm while Steve and Tony ran for the disabled engine.

Eliot let himself go. There was no need to hold back like he did with the Leverage crew. His mind planned while his body executed. Battling the enemies of SHIELD Clint had collected for Loki, Eliot caught sight of the archer high on the superstructure lining up a shot. Enhanced eyesight saw the cloud of bright blue obscuring grey-green eyes, red and sunken from lack of food and sleep. A growl rose in Eliot's throat a he fought to reach him both mentally and physically.

He saw Hawk's head snap around as he felt a tear in the blue wall blocking their bond. Clint hesitated ... The blue cloud started to recede from his eyes. He shook his head.

"Wolf?"

"Hawk!"

Then it was gone. The cloud once again covered his eyes and blocked their link as an arrow sailed past his head. Eliot ran after Clint, but got side tracked to Loki's cell by Thor's distressed yell. He caught Phil as the recoil from the gun nearly toppled him. The trickster ran as Eliot pulled out field dressings to staunch the blood flowing from the agent's wounds. He felt the fire of his anger bank into an icy rage.

"Dammit, Phil. You want Widow to have my guts for garters?"

"Sorry. Tell Tasha …"

"Tell her yourself, and work on your timing 'cause if really sucks."

Eliot shielded the fallen agent with his body as he felt someone enter the room. The scent of leather, gun oil, and lies wafted around Nick Fury. He came to his feet like a striking rattler.

Nick Fury backed up a step. He saw his death in the wintery eyes watching him from beneath lowered brows.

"Eliot, you can't kill the Boss."

"It can be the last thing we both do, Phil."

"Think of Clint and Natasha."

Phil's lung sounds were diminishing ... Medical better get here quick.

Nick shuddered despite the protective body armor and his own healing abilities from the super soldier serum. He'd watched the Wolf and Hawk spar after their enhancement at the hands of Operation Outcome, and had no desire to feel the Wolf's teeth at his throat.

"Agent Romanoff has gone after Agent Barton ... You should lend her a hand."

He was surprised when his voice came out steady and carrying the snap of command. The medical team waited nervously at the door. Torn, Eliot growled his frustration at whether to go after his lovers or stay with the man who'd become his brother.

"Agent Spencer."

Eyes locked and though his expression told Phil Coulson he was unhappy at leaving the wounded man, he gave a nod to the medics, and a glare at Fury before leaving for the Black Widow's last known location.

~}}}~~~

"Coulson is down … The medics have called it."

If there was time, Eliot would have howled his pain to the sky, but with the helicarrier listing badly all he could do was run toward Clint and Natasha. There'd be time for mourning later … Maybe. He finally heard the sounds of fighting and a skull meeting metal. He rounded the corner in time to see Clint pull himself to his knees, and feel his presence burst through their bond.

"Tasha?"

Eliot's heart clenched at the confusion in Clint's voice as a hard right laid him out. The couple was silent as Eliot hoisted the unconscious archer over his shoulder.

Restraints fastened, Eliot turned and opened his arms then closed them around the trembling body of his spider.

~}}}~~~

When Eliot felt Clint's mind begin struggling toward consciousness, he stepped outside. He wanted to stay, but Natasha insisted. They had to finish his unmaking before they could rebuild him. Years of repressing his deep cover personas had left Clint more vulnerable than they'd realized. Eliot closed his eyes against the pain in his lover's voice.

"Do you know what it's like for someone to take out your brain and play … Stuff something else back in? Do you know what it's like to be unmade?

"You know that I do."

Clint knew, too, but once he'd come out from under Aaron Cross, and was debriefed, he refused to talk about Byers, Outcome or the pretty dark haired doctor. Eliot pinched the bridge of his nose to ward off a headache. They should have pushed harder. He was out of the room's line of sight leaning against the cool metal wall as Natasha worked to soothe the archer's battered psyche.

Eliot had straightened with the intention of entering the room when Captain America came rushing down the hall. He turned away as they all three came out of the room and headed for the armory.

~}}}~~~

Parker rushed out of her apartment into the office.

"Hardison! Quick turn on the news!"

Drawn by the yelling, Nate and Sophie appeared on the steps. Parker's face was pale as she urged Hardison to hurry.

"You're gonna make me miss it."

The screens flared to life. They stared at the carnage on the screen.

"You raised all that fuss over a movie?"

The older couple turned back toward their apartment.

"Nate, it's not a movie. That's New York City."

Parker moved closer to the screens.

"Oh my god! That's Eliot!"

All they saw was a man with long dark hair herding people to safety as strange creatures flew through the air. The man spun firing a staff like weapon at the alien that was coming toward him and his charges.

"Eliot fightin' aliens! Now that's what I'm talkin' 'bout!"

Hardison twirled around the room.

"Hey, isn't that the tower you're always drooling over? Sark … Snark … Stark?"

Parker pointed to the screen.

"Turn up the volume."

Nate pulled Sophie against his side.

 _"These scenes are coming to you live from New York City where we've been told an alien invader known as Loki of Asgard has opened some sort of portal allowing beings called the Chitauri to invade Earth. What you're seeing now are troops from SHIELD, the Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division, trying to evacuate survivors away from the fighting. We're also told the Director of SHIELD, Nick Fury has activated something called The Avengers initiative consisting of billionaire, Tony Stark, who the world knows as Ironman, Captain America, another Asgardian, Thor, The Hulk, and several others whose identities are unknown at this time…"_

The news anchor continued his rambling narrative as buildings fell, people were crushed and explosions ripped through Manhattan. The camera showed The Avengers regrouping on street.

"That's them!"

All eyes turned to Parker.

"Who?"

"When you asked me about Eliot. The man with the bow and the red-haired woman."

"You saw them with Eliot?"

"Yeah."

Ironman grabbed the archer and took off along with The Hulk while Captain America, Thor and the red-head scattered on the ground.

"This is so cool."

Hardison was practically orgasmic.

"Aliens killing people and destroying New York is cool?"

Sophie's voice was full of disbelief. Hardison stopped and his expression turned sheepish.

"Not the killin' and destroyin', but aliens? … Even you have to admit that's cool."

The station was beginning to show pictures from all around Manhattan. They finally stopped on Stark Tower where a beam of blue light split open the sky. At ground level it showed the bottom ten floors of the tower. The broken windows were covered by what looked like hurricane shutters that appeared impervious to the alien blasts. Black suited soldiers were directing survivors into the tower. There was one without a helmet with a red bandana holding his hair back from his face.

"That really is Eliot." Sophie exclaimed.

"Hardison can you tell what the emblem is on Eliot's suit?"

"Give me just a minute … It's an eagle … It's the logo for SHIELD."

"They did reactivate him."

Parker's voice was breathy.

"I'm not sure he was ever not active." Nate countered.

"Why would he work with us?"

"SHIELD's not your typical government agency. I'm not even sure they are a government agency … At least not for our government."

"I wonder if Eliot can get me an autograph."

"Seriously?"

They all asked on concert.

"You're kidding. Tony Stark is a geek's god. If Eliot knows him then I'm sittin' pretty."

"You should probably wait and see if he comes back from outer space before you ask Eliot to get his autograph."

Sophie said as they pulled their chairs in front of the LED screens to continue watching.

"Oh! I wanna do that!"

"NO!"

Parker pointed at the screen where they saw the archer leap off the building and shoot an arrow at the same time. It stuck in the side of the building and the attached rope allowed him to swing through one of the building's plate glass windows.

The blue beam was cut off and all the aliens stopped and collapsed where they stood or fell out of the sky. The camera panned back to the front of Stark Tower where they listened as Eliot called for medical personnel and teams to start searching for survivors. There were dark places on his uniform, but they couldn't tell if it was his blood or someone else's.

Now that they attack was over, Hardison muted the sound.

"So what do we do about Eliot?"

~}}}~~~

Eliot missed Phil Coulson. The man was an organizational genius and would have had the search and rescue people marching in rank and step if he were here. He was forever grateful that Phil had made sure he would have access to Stark's AI.

JARVIS had been invaluable in helping him get survivors inside the confines of the fortified Stark Tower. The survivors were moved out to evacuation centers now that the Chitauri were dead, and Eliot was now using the lobby as a command post.

"Maria, when can I get some relief here?"

"Not for a while. We're limping toward dock now, but it's going to take time. We don't have anyone to send."

"Dammit. I need to be out with the SAR teams."

"Fury wants you right where you are ... With Coulson down … You're the closet thing we've got."

"How is he?"

"Touch and go. He's still in surgery … A lot of muscle and ligament damage along with a punctured lung. He might be able to fly a desk, but I don't know about going out in the field ... That's if he makes it through the next few days."

"Fuck. This whole deal has just screwed the pooch in so many ways it could be a sex show in Mexico."

"Wolf?"

Eliot froze. He didn't like what he was hearing in Maria's voice.

"Yeah."

"Fury told The Avengers Phil is dead."

"WHAT! Holy Fucking Hell. Why would he do that? Does Clint know?"

"No, but Natasha does. I think Fury and Coulson cooked up the idea after they shot Phil full of the good drugs."

"The son of a bitch is damn lucky he's in surgery. I hope some dumb ass doesn't blurt it out to Barton ... We'll never get him dug out from under that mountain of guilt."

"I hate to dump on you, but I thought you should have a heads up."

"Thanks Maria. Where is Cyclops? I wanna know where to find him when I have time to kick his ass up between his shoulders."

"With the Council rubbing their noses in The Avengers' success."

"Great. Keep me in the loop?"

"I'll do what I can, but it's above my pay grade."

"Nothing's above your pay grade, and I have a new friend Phil introduced me to that can give me a hand."

"Good luck with that. Stark gets pissed when people take his stuff."

"I'll give him back ... Some day. Get some rest, Maria."

"Take your own advice, Wolf. Out."

"JARVIS?"

"Yes, Agent Spencer?"

"I'm not stepping over any boundaries here I don't about?"

"No Sir."

"Great. You'll tell me if I do?"

"Of course."

"Can you find Agent Coulson while we do all this other shit, too?"

"I assure you that I am accustomed to keeping up with Sir's machinations so it will pose no problem to look for Agent Coulson while we're working, Agent Spencer."

"Outstanding. Please call me Eliot."

"If I may be so bold, Agent … Eliot, you have several wounds that you should have attended."

"JARVIS, are you familiar with Operation Outcome?"

"Not currently, Sir."

"I am one of two people that survived the treatment. By the time the medics track me down there won't be enough open wound left to worry over, but we're going to keep that little tidbit of information between us unless it's absolutely necessary."

"I concur at this time, Sir."

"Thanks, Bubba."

Hours later, Eliot was still standing in the lobby of Stark Tower with the heads of police, fire and National Guard working to switch SHIELD units for LEOs and Guard. He'd finished relaying orders for the final teams to be pulled out when The Avengers tumbled through the door literally holding each other upright. The specialists on protection detail brought their weapons to bear on Hawkeye.

"Everyone. Stand. Down."

Clint and Natasha's heads snapped up at the sound of Eliot's command. Shock kept even Tony silent though they formed a protective circle around Hawkeye and Black Widow.

"Wolf?"

Eliot heard Clint's surprised whisper ... He could feel the emotions tumbling through their bond, but he stayed focused on the members of his detail who failed to lower their weapons.

"Was I unclear?" He brought his hand to rest on the butt of his pistol.

The soft question caused the hands holding the three weapons still pointed at Clint to tremble.

"But … He …"

"Was I unclear?

"No … No … Sir."

"You will lower your weapons or I will shoot you myself, and shooting you will generate reams of paperwork that will make me extremely cranky."

Weapons lowered.

"You will report back to base and pray to your gods you're never assigned to work with me again."

"Yes, Sir."

"Anyone else with a problem protecting this building and The Avengers can also report to base."

The implication was clear to the remaining men and women. Have a problem with The Hawk you had a problem with The Wolf. Only one other left.

"Colonel, is your command post operational?"

"It is."

"Get moved there ASAP so Mr. Stark can secure his building for repairs. There will be SHIELD agents with all your teams until all Chitauri remains and machinery is collected at which time all operations will be left in your capable hands."

Eliot shook hands with everyone. He heard Stark draw in a breath, but raised a hand to forestall his words.

"Thompson!"

"Sir!"

"Move your detail to an exterior perimeter. When everyone has cleared the lobby you're relieved to return to base."

"Yes sir."

JARVIS, lock it down after they're clear. Elevator?"

"Operational, Sir."

"Thanks. Let's go."

Clint and Natasha moved first, Steve close behind supporting Bruce. Thor and Tony stood undecided.

"JARVIS?"

"Everything is fine, Sir. If you go with Agent Spencer he will explain. His words are not for public purview hence his rush to get everyone some place private."

The ride to the residential floors was silent until the doors opened.

"Do you want to clean up first or talk first?"

"Clean up. We've got a truck load of carry out coming in a half hour or so, and I really need to get this suit to the cleaners." Tony quipped as he stepped out of the elevator. "There's … Suites. Pick one they're all stocked."

He waved over his shoulder as he headed toward his workshop still muttering under his breath. Soon it was just the three SHIELD agents. Eliot waited for them to reach out. Clint moved until he was plastered against Eliot, Natasha supporting him from behind.

"Eliot, it … He … I … Couldn't …"

His breathing hitched as he buried his face in Eliot's neck.

"I know Darlin'. I couldn't reach you either, but we've got you back."

"Your crew …"

"You don't worry about Portland. That's for tomorrow or the next day. I for one would like to wash the Chitauri brains out of my hair. Agent Hill was kind enough to grab your 'go' bags and send them over with the relief team, so let's see what kind of religious experience we can find in a Stark Tower bathroom."

An hour later they were back in the living room, shawarma, with a variety of toppings and side dishes scattered across the bar. Eliot and Natasha watched Clint to make sure he actually ate. Clean and fed, Tony could no longer restrain himself.

"So Agent Spencer, are you replacing Agent … Phil?"

Eliot chuckled at Tony's condescending tone.

"I couldn't replace Phil in my dreams let alone in real life, but Director Fury asked me to stand in until it's seen how well he recovers."

 **"RECOVERS! HOW THE FUCK DO YOU RECOVER FROM BEING DEAD!"**

Eliot's glare was so chilling that Stark took a step back and nearly fell over Steve. He turned to catch Clint as he felt the archer's mind start to shut down.

"Hawk!"

He snatched Clint by the nape of the neck and shook him.

"Phil's dead?"

At the broken tone, he pulled Clint against him still glaring at the others.

"No Darlin'. JARVIS?"

"Agent Coulson was moved to Recovery thirty minutes ago. The doctors are cautiously optimistic about him recovering most of the range of motion in his shoulder, but concerned about diminished lung capacity, and are safeguarding against respiratory infections."

"Thank you, JARVIS."

"You're very welcome, Eliot."

Eliot relaxed into the couch, Clint plastered against his left side and Natasha tucked under his right arm, her head on his chest as they watched the others except for Bruce vent their outrage at Fury's lies. He kept his hand running through the short hair to give Clint an anchor in the storm of his emotions. Once he felt them relax, he enjoyed listening to how Fury was about to pay for his duplicity.

"Can we get in to see him?"

Clint's voice was still quiet as though afraid to hope.

"We can go by later, but Fury wants to keep us away from the Council so we'll give it a few days then scatter. Stark, do you mind a few house guests or should we find somewhere else."

"No. I mean you can stay. I'm sure JARVIS has already scheduled repairs, but we can fly to Malibu until Fury wants us back."

"Sounds like a plan. I need to make a stop in Portland."

He was interrupted by a chirp from his phone.

"Thor, the Council wants to execute Loki so if you want to save your brother you better get on the horn with the All-Father."

"I will. Thank you, Wolfson."

Eliot nudged the drowsing Clint to wake him then made their good nights and headed to their room. He turned back from locking the door and was shoved against the door and two sets of hands began stripping off his clothes.

"What? ..."

"You were on the street."

"In the battle with the Chitauri."

"Without us."

"I had Phil's team."

They found all the healing cuts, laser burns and bruises.

"I'm good compared to you two. Out running the Hulk, battling each other … A concussion, bruises, jet crashes, catching rides on flying scooters, and jumping off buildings."

That got a snort from Natasha and a smirk from Clint.

"Just another day at the office."

"Since we've all been awake for the better part of four days ... Bed sounds like a the perfect place."

"It's been a month."

"Sleep now. Play when we've pulled our asses out of the fire."

Eliot could have kicked himself as Clint's face fell and Natasha glared.

"Truth. JARVIS, how's Phil?"

"Vitals are stable, his chest has drained well. The doctors are pleased with his progress."

"Thank you."

They all groaned as the luxurious mattress enfolded their exhausted bodies. Anything other than sleep was definitely going to have to wait. Sleep was warm and tangled and safe until Clint's dreams of Loki rolled down his mental link to Eliot.

He didn't jump or tense though his heartbeat picked up until he realized the images in his mind weren't his. The dreams had not yet brought the archer awake, but he was beginning to twist in Eliot's arms. Love and safety and home were feelings Eliot fed back through the bond, Clint's breathing calmed, his body settled back into deep sleep. Slipping from between his assassins, he stepped into the bathroom. After relieving himself he stood in the shower until the images from Clint's dreams leeched into his memory where they could be locked away. Though it had been four days as opposed to four years ... This mind fuck was going to be harder than Aaron Cross.

Guarding their sleep until a decent hour to start coffee and breakfast, Eliot lost himself in the array of food he found in Stark's kitchen. Talking with JARVIS while he worked, helped ease some of the anxiety of what the next few days would bring, and the smells wafting from the kitchen soon drew everyone from their beds. The easy camaraderie over breakfast was soon broken by a call from Fury requesting their presence at SHIELD's land headquarters in two hours.

They made it through the debriefings ... Barely. Eliot had to keep mentally snatching Clint back from his inner abyss. The argument between Thor and Fury over Loki's fate was near shaking the walls. Psych tried to separate Eliot from Clint, but since Eliot was standing in Coulson's stead, the only ones that could override him was Assistant Director Hill or Director Fury. Clint had jumped through all the hoops successfully and with the mental bond between Eliot and Clint installed by SHIELD's own psychics they had no reason not to release the archer.

While the other Avengers kept Fury tied in knots, the trio decided to slip in and see Phil. Clint had been holding himself together fairly well until they passed through several wards of wounded.

"Clint, these wounded are from Manhattan. This is Loki's work. They are all Loki's work. You were just a tool just like Dr. Selvig was a tool ... Agent Peterson was a tool ... Everyone he touched was simply a means to an end."

Natasha didn't stop talking until they'd passed through all the wards, and were standing outside the doors that would take them to the isolation ward.

Agent Phil Coulson looked diminished buried under miles of wire and tubing, but his color was looking better. The doctors had removed the ventilator, and had finished removing the chest tube, leaving the drugged agent to sleep. It broke Eliot's heart broke to watch two of SHIELD's deadliest assassins stand by Coulson's bed holding hands like frightened children. They joined their clasped hands with Phil's, and watched the hitched breathing as he slept. Eliot settled to wait.

He'd closed his eyes for just a minute when Clint's excitement at the fluttering of eyelashes brought Eliot awake.

"Hey."

Natasha bent over and kissed Phil's forehead while Clint offered him a sip of water.

"If you ever give Fury the okay to tell us you're dead again, we will not be responsible for how we punish you."

She gave the injured man a sweet smile.

Phil Coulson, SHIELD's mild mannered bad ass shivered at THAT smile from the Black Widow.

"I promise. It was not my most thought out plan, and the drugs they gave me were very good." He looked between her and Clint. "You're both alright? … Clint?

"Yes Sir. Tasha hit me in the head ... Really hard."

"Cognitive re-calibration. It worked with Dr. Selvig, too."

"Eliot?"

"I'm here."

He walked to the opposite side of the bed.

"I'm sorry we pulled you back into this."

He patted the other man's arm.

"It's fine, man. You gave me almost five years, and I'm tired of spending most of my nights alone."

"Thank you."

"I'm here as long as you need me."

Eliot stepped back and let Hawkeye and Black Widow fuss over their handler. He was surprised to find the words that he'd only meant to ease Phil's mind were actually true. As long as Clint and Natasha chose this life he would be here. They had accepted that he'd had to walk away ... Now he was accepting that he needed to return, not just for them, but for himself, too.

They stayed until Phil drifted back to sleep then returned to Fury's office.

"Agents Barton and Romanoff. You will remain with The Avengers, and as such will vacate your quarters here and on the helicarrier. Stark has assured me that accommodations have already been provided for you. Any problems will go through your acting liaison, Agent Spencer, until such time as it's determined whether Agent Coulson will return to field duty."

They were still furious with the Director so with a mere nod of acknowledgement they left to pack what little they had in their quarters. Most of their personal effects were in a loft in a converted warehouse the trio owned on the river, and as they encountered some hostility on the helicarrier, Tasha took point while Eliot guarded their backs.

Last stop was the armory to collect their battle suits, Clint's bows, arrows and Black Widow's stingers.

They were back at the Tower by three where Eliot and Clint met Pepper Potts for the first time, and Tony directed everyone to the tower's secure weapons storage. As they made their way back to the main living area, Tony started to explain the changes he wanted to make since he had to remodel anyway.

"What does Legolas need for a practice range, and what is it with Spencer and my kitchen?"

"It's how he unwinds."

"He any good?"

"What'd you think of breakfast?"

"That was Spencer?"

Clint smirked at the billionaire's reaction.

"I may have to dump Pepper and marry Spencer."

"Man's already spoken for."

"Oh you mean that puppy pile you had going on my sofa?"

Tony stopped to look at Clint.

"You're serious? How long?"

"Since Delta Force."

"Black Widow?"

"She came to us about a year after she followed me home from my mission to 'terminate with extreme prejudice'."

"How come I've never met Agent Eliot Spencer? What he's Agent's prodigal son?"

"He's been on a long term mission. Coulson called him home when I was compromised."

Ignoring how Clint's tone had dropped to a near whisper, Tony pushed on.

"Then tell me your wish list for your playground while your boyfriend plies me with gourmet meals."

"You are going to tell Agent Spencer about the office you set up for him?"

"Nope, JARVIS can do that. I think I'll chain him in the kitchen instead. Here, look at what I've got …"

Tony pulled up schematics on his tablet and handed it to the archer who immediately began questioning Tony about limitations and space.

That's how Eliot found them all a couple hours later, going over blueprints, making suggestions, and generally getting to know each other.

"JARVIS. Bring 'em to the table."

"Of course."

The screens went dark, causing an instant uproar.

"Dinner is served." The AI informed them.

Clint and Natasha sprinted for the dining room.

"What's the rush?"

Steve was confused to see Tony urging Pepper along.

"Apparently Agent Spencer is also quite the chef so I want to get there before you and Thor."

"Tony!" Pepper scolded.

"What? You want me to tell the truth."

Tony needn't have worried. Eliot cooked plenty, the table practically bowing under the weight of full bowls and platters. It didn't take long for the meal to be demolished, even Thor pushing back from the table rubbing his stomach.

"Truly a meal fit for the gods."

Eliot left the table to retrieve dessert, and while everyone was distracted, had gone back into the kitchen and not returned. Clint and Natasha exchanged a look after noticing a half eaten meal and their vanishing lover. They slipped away from the table.

"JARVIS?"

"Agent Romanoff?"

"Eliot?"

"Doing paperwork in the office Sir did not tell him about two floors down."

"Wonder how much paperwork an alien invasion generates?"

Clint grinned as Natasha swatted his arm.

"It is mostly electronic in nature, but in actual paper would probably deforest half the state of Maine."

Both agents stopped in their tracks, mouths agape.

"A computer with a sense of humor ... Who'd of thought?"

"Stark obviously."

"Thanks JARVIS. We haven't had nearly enough to laugh about lately."

"My pleasure, Agent Barton."

"Clint. Since we're all co-habitating you should call me Clint."

"As you wish, Sir."

He grinned at Natasha's eye roll.

"What? We're just one big dysfunctional family."

"Speaking of which …"

"Think he's freaking over Portland?" Clint asked as they stepped off the elevator.

"They have become … Important."

"Yeah. Nat …?"

"Clint …"

"You're leaving us. You talked about the red in your ledger. You never talk about that shit unless you've made a decision you think will hurt us."

"Eliot will be with us, and Phil needs us to get back to himself."

"You mean you. Like … What? You're the carrot and the stick?"

Clint slapped his hand over his mouth.

"Dammit, I love Phil, too. I didn't mean to sound like a jealous boyfriend."

"We have grown past that I think."

"What about Eliot?"

"Eliot sometimes knows me better than I know myself. That is not always a comforting thought."

Natasha frowned when Clint threw back his head and laughed.

"Oh Nat. That's how I feel around you and Coulson all the time. Good to know I'm not alone."

"Never that."

She gave him a small smile as they stopped in front of the door to Eliot's office.

"Normal is never going to apply to us in any way shape or form, and I have used you for too long."

The door opened to reveal a scowling Eliot.

"Tasha? What's this about using someone?"

"I will be staying with Phil while you go to the west coast."

They followed him into the office.

"You're right. He shouldn't be left alone. It could set back his recovery. Call when they're going release him. We'll get him moved in here during his recovery … Bring some of his clothes and things from his apartment … Have JARVIS order in foods he likes … To put him at ease … Be comfortable."

"I am not nurturing, but I don't wish him to think we left him because he is wounded."

Natasha seemed confused by her need to stay and oversee their handler's recovery.

"He doesn't need you to entertain him he needs you to support him. He knows who we are. You'll only scare him if you go mother hen on him."

Seeing her body language relax, Eliot turned back to his desk.

"Go play with the other kids so I can dig out from under this pile of work before I smother."

At midnight Clint and Natasha pulled Eliot to their room. It was their last night and they didn't want to spend it without the three of them together. Tomorrow they would part ways, the three of them going into places where even they could not predict the outcome.

~}}}~~~

For all the footage he'd combed through, Hardison had found only a few images of Eliot during the battle, and in the first hours after clean-up started from the lobby of Stark Tower. After that he vanished. They were sitting around eating and watching the footage again when Parker jumped and ran. They followed the thief around the corner to find her hanging from Eliot's neck.

"Bandages ... Where are the bandages. I saw you get hit."

"I'm fine, Parker. My tac vest took the damage."

He squeezed her hard. This might be the last time he got to have this.

He looked over her shoulder at the Nate, Sophie and Hardison. Setting the blonde on her feet, Eliot drew in a deep breath to begin his explanation when a limping shuffle coming toward the office had him spinning and shoving Parker behind him at the same time.

"Toby?"

"Eliot, I need your help."

Nate and Eliot listened to Toby's story. Just as Nate opened his mouth to give him the brush off, Eliot pulled him to the side.

"Toby taught me how to use a knife … How I could create with it instead of destroy. He's one of the guys that kept me from fallin' all the way down, and now I'm askin' the other guy to understand why I'm gonna help him."

Nate went off to tell the others while Eliot went back to Toby. When he was sure his old friend was out of earshot, he pulled out his new Stark phone.

"JARVIS, I'm gonna be about a week. Can you let the pilot know … Send him back to Tony."

"I have conferred with Sir. He wishes the jet to remain until you are ready to rejoin them."

"Thanks, JARVIS."

He walked back through the kitchen to see how things were running since he'd been gone. What he saw caused a tightness to form in his chest. A look at the menu confirmed what he'd seen in the kitchen.

"Hey man, you checkin' out the changes I made while you were gone? See I been doin' ..."

Hurt and angry that the hacker never listened to what he said, he tossed the menu at Hardison and headed to the office to see what plan Nate had put together.

~}}}~~~

The next four days were exhausting. There were a few bright spots like teaching Parker about food, watching his less than stellar students actually absorb what he was trying to teach them, taking out the thugs that worked for Jean-Luc, and walking away after pinning down Rampone.

After the irritated bike messenger left the pub, Eliot steeled himself for what came next.

"We need to talk."

Nate gave him a nod. They were sitting at the counter, Eliot standing under the blank TV screens.

"From Parker's reaction, I'm going to assume that you saw the battle in Manhattan, and I'm going to assume you saw me on some of the news footage."

"Is the government taking you back?" Parker asked.

"The short answer is 'yes'. The long answer is more complicated."

"You been spyin' all this time?" Hardison asked sending a wide-eyed look to Nate.

Eliot shook his head. They didn't need to know that some of the jobs they'd pulled fulfilled parts of Nick Fury's personal wish list. Those were happy coincidences as far as he was concerned.

"When Dubenich called me for that first job I was on leave ... Had been since I left Moreau. I'm never going to be entirely free from my agency, but I'm pretty autonomous. Due to some things that went on before the Chitauri invasion I was recalled, and for the foreseeable future will be stationed in New York."

"What do you mean won't be free?" Sophie asked.

"Can't say."

"What agency?" Hardison pulled out a keyboard.

Eliot ran his hands through his hair.

"SHIELD."

"You work for SHIELD?" Hardison's voice was a squeak.

"You didn't think this was something we needed to know?"

Nate sipped his drink while he studied the retrieval specialist.

"No. I didn't go around asking anyone else about their past. Sophie conned us ... You conned us ... Sterling conned us ... Me working for SHIELD wasn't even a blip on the radar in comparison."

"What's a SHIELD?" Parker asked.

"Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division." Eliot offered

"Division of what?"

"The government." Hardison's tone was curt.

"Like a spy?"

"Not the government and sometimes."

"Can you teach me spy stuff?"

"No, Parker, I won't teach you spy stuff. The stuff you know is sneaky enough."

"Cool."

"Is that what Moreau meant when he said it'd be just like Belgrade?"

Eliot paled at the hacker's statement.

"No. Moreau never knew I worked for SHIELD."

His attention wandered as sensitive hearing picked up familiar voices and footsteps in the bar. The rugged face never changed, but his brain gave a sigh of relief. He wasn't alone.

"You know I can't talk about before … It's all classified."

"Nothing is 'classified' from me." Hardison wiggled his fingers for quotations. "After we got back from San Lorenzo I had some time …"

"Hardison." Nate's voice held a note of warning.

"So I let my fingers do the walking …"

"That's been almost two years ago, Hardison. Why are you showing us these now?"

Sophie grabbed Nate's arm bringing his attention back to her as he felt her hand tremble. Following her line of sight he pulled his attention to Eliot. The last time he'd seen that expression was in a warehouse with Moreau's enforcers, who all ended up dead.

"Isn't this how all spy movies end? The big reveal."

Hardison pointed the remote at the screens. Before he could press the button several things happened simultaneously.

Parker darted around Hardison and grabbed the remote.

Clint Barton walked in and slid his arms around Eliot's waist, resting his chin on his shoulder.

The rest of The Avengers fanned out behind the couple.

Everyone waited to see who made the first move.

Never patient with people, the Leverage crew was not surprised when it was Parker who spoke first.

"NO! You don't get to do this. Why would you do this?"

"For us … I did it for us. Every time I see you you're with Eliot. I refuse to lose to an assassin."

 **"LOSE! LOSE WHAT?!"**

The blonde was so distraught the tears went unnoticed and no one dared breathe.

"You."

"Me? He was teaching me to be a better me. So I fit in with regular people. So you didn't have to be embarrassed because I don't know stuff. I asked all of you and you didn't have time for me. Only Eliot took time."

Her words trailed off. She threw the remote at Hardison, walked over and tucked herself under Eliot's arm. Clint opened his arms long enough to include the thief.

"Parker?"

Hardison took a step forward before his mind registered what his eyes were seeing. He back pedaled until he bumped into the counter.

"Eliot, you wanna introduce your friends?" Nate asked.

Tony took that as his cue.

"Tony Stark, billionaire, philanthropist, former playboy, genius. JARVIS?"

The screens flickered to life.

"Threat neutralized, Sir. I have been with Agent … Eliot the entire trip. Agent Romanoff and Coulson would like a word."

"On screen." He turned back to his audience. "Did I mention I'm also Iron Man? This lovely couple is Black Widow and Agent Agent." He waved at the screens.

"Eliot?"

"Natasha. Phil."

"Clint?"

"We got this Nat. You take care of Phil."

The red-headed assassin gave a narrow-eyed glare before nodding her agreement. Agent Coulson started to remind them that he could take care of himself about the time the screens went dark.

"Thanks, JARVIS."

The relief in Eliot's tone was palatable.

"It was my pleasure, Eliot."

"TONY STARK!"

Hardison started forward, but without being seen to move, Eliot yanked Tony behind him. Hardison stopped and looked up at the blond wall in front of him.

"Steve Rogers."

A toothpaste smile and large hand appeared.

Hardison took two steps back.

"Why do you provoke Wolfson?" Thor asked confused.

"Because people with high IQs have no common sense and think the rest of us are too stupid to see when they're being asses."

The sandy brown head turned toward Stark and another man.

"Stark and Banner being the exceptions, sometimes."

"Thanks, Legolas."

"Clint …"

"Is this true?"

Thor turned back to glare at the strangers.

"What … No … Wait … The Avengers? You're working with THE AVENGERS?! Why didn't you say …?"

Parker's glare, Nate and Sophie's disappointed looks along with the predatory looks from the men standing with Eliot seemed to throw a switch in the hacker's brain.

"I think that's what Eliot was trying to tell us when you interrupted him. Eliot, continue with what you were saying."

Nate held his whiskey glass up in a salute.

"Nothing. I'm going to New York. Call Quinn or Shelley if you need a hitter."

His face was a mask when he stepped out of Clint's embrace, hugged Parker, pressed his lips to her forehead, and stepped away. Grabbing his duffel Eliot didn't look back.

The Leverage crew watched as Stark put an arm over the enforcer's shoulder.

"Agent would be so proud. Anyway … You think my kitchen in New York is impressive wait 'til you see the one in the Malibu house. JARVIS has been very protective of the kitchen since you two bonded …"

The sounds of Tony's ramblings faded away until only the man that had been literally wrapped around Eliot remained. The late afternoon sun made the eyes in the handsome face a kaleidoscope of grey, green and blue.

"He was going to keep you, but you hurt him. You don't get to do that again."

Hardison started forward to make his case when something embedded itself in the post by his head. The hacker looked at the post and the broad head arrow tip stuck in the wood. When he looked back toward the door, it was empty.

"That went well."

Sophie grabbed her ruana and bag.

"I'm going to the theater."

"I'll go with you."

Nate downed the last of his drink.

"Good job, Hardison."

"Is that supposed to be a crack? 'Cause if it is … Harsh, man … Harsh."

He turned to pull the arrowhead out of the post and nearly ran into Parker. She was studying the lethal part of the arrow like it held the secrets of life.

"Do you know who that was?"

"Yeah. I know the names of all The Avengers … Clint Barton … Hawkeye."

"Him and red-head are the ones I've seen with Eliot."

"You tellin' me Hawkeye and Black Widow are Eliot's lovers?" His voice went up a notch.

"Him and Clint I think. I didn't always see the woman." Her dark blue eyes were cold when she looked up. "No, I didn't peek in the window."

"But you … Eliot …"

"Was my friend … Family."

Parker walked up the steps cradling the broad head in her hand.

~}}}~~~

Natasha walked into the gym to see Tony spread eagle on the floor his lungs pumping like a bellows. She stepped over him and looked down. Brown eyes fluttered open.

"Tell Pepper I loved her."

A dark red eyebrow arched.

"Wolf Man's trying to kill us all."

"He's grieving."

"By beating us to death?"

"Improving your endurance."

Stark rolled to his feet.

"Where is Agent this morning?"

"Physical therapy. He will soon join you in your endeavors."

"It's not too soon?"

"Eliot has worked wonders."

Tony had to agree. From the time they landed in Malibu, Eliot had taken over the kitchen and their physical conditioning. There were no more missed meals, and staying up all night working did not get him and Bruce out of their conditioning. Even Agent was healing faster than the doctors had predicted.

They were still the most mentally and physically scarred crew on the east coast, but Clint and Coulson were working through their nightmares of Loki, the agents on the helicarrier had stopped giving Barton, Selvig, and the others who'd been possessed by the Tessaract trouble when they had meetings on the boat. Nothing was ever said, but Tony had asked JARVIS, for the AI always kept an eye on all the Avengers. His computer simply said that Agent Spencer had been involved in the retraining of certain agents, and that many of the people now on the helicarrier had not been on board during the attack led by Agent Barton.

"Widow, does he ever talk about them?"

"Not to me."

~}}}~~~

He'd drifted to sleep with strong arms wrapped around him, but something was scratching at the back of his mind. The last time that happened he'd been reaching out to Eliot as he helplessly watched Loki's scepter move toward his chest. Eyes snapping open, he reached out to find the bed empty. Getting dressed he followed the tug in his mind to the highest place in Stark Tower.

Usually when people thought of high places they thought of him, not Eliot, but Eliot always did the unexpected. It had saved their lives numerous times in the past so it stayed in his arsenal. He found his partner in an overstuffed chair he'd pulled over to the windows, talking to JARVIS ... A beer sweating on the floor next to him.

He and Eliot were fairly matched in size though Eliot was broader, so Clint burrowed into the over sized chair and that broad chest seeking the extra warmth that was a result of their stint in Operation Outcome.

"The bed got cold."

Eliot pulled the archer close and rested his lips against his temple.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm turning everything back to Phil tomorrow. He and Steve will run the show."

Eliot's voice was rough with the emotions tumbling across their bond.

"What? ... Oh no … Fury can't do this … Not now. Phil's not field ready."

"You're going to be his eyes."

"Eliot … No. You have to take me with you."

"I can't. You and Nat are well known members of the Avengers. You can't go where I'm going."

~}}}~~~

When Clint woke the next morning he was bruised and sore and every part of his body had been well used. They had come back to the room where Eliot had made love to him both mentally and physically. He showered and was in the elevator before he realized that their bond was entirely too quiet.

"JARVIS, where's Eliot?"

"Not in the tower, Agent Barton."

"Where's Agent Coulson or Romanoff?"

"Everyone is in the dining room. I believe they're waiting for your arrival."

He rushed into the room to find not only the team and Coulson, but also Fury and someone Clint Barton had hoped to never see again. Dr. Marta Shearing. A baggie holding dark hair lay on the table. The Hawk's eyesight lit on the hair. He closed his eyes and locked everything down. The Avengers were rudely introduced to Agent Clint Barton, master assassin.

Marta came towards him, her expression happy.

"Aaron, they never told me what happened to you."

"There is no Aaron, Dr. Shearing. He was an alias used to infiltrate the CIA's human experimentation program of which you were an integral part. My name is Agent Clint Barton."

She turned confused eyes on Nick Fury.

"But, Nick Taylor ... He's been coming to my lab … I just viraled him out."

The rest of the team had moved to stand behind Clint. It was Tony who spoke first.

"I think I and Dr. Banner would like to see the files on … Nick Taylor." His dark eyes never left Fury's face.

"Those files are 'Eyes Only'."

Nick Fury didn't know why he bothered reminding Stark. The man probably already had the files, but wanted to see if SHIELD was going to deny him.

"My chef and personal trainer disappears into thin air, you show up with some genetics hack you've stolen from the CIA while said science hack drools over Legolas like he's the Holy Grail. So why don't you roll over and show us your soft underbelly."

"What did you do, Marta."

Eyes wide Dr. Shearing froze like a rabbit under the raptor's gaze.

"I'd answer him before he puts an arrow in your eye." Natasha whispered from behind the scientist.

Dr. Shearing jerked at the Black Widow's venomous tone. She quickly backed up until she bumped into Fury.

"When Number 7 came into the program his senses were already sharper than normal including his intuition. One of the chromosomes we altered controls cognitive ability and the senses. The treatment not only enhanced his five normal senses, but also his 'sixth sense' … Intuition … Whatever."

Fury picked up the story.

"Apparently when Eliot's young hacker friend was having his jealous snit and was tiptoeing through CIA files looking for Eliot Spencer and his known aliases he pinged one of Byer's geeks. Eliot came to me while you were on a mission in Pakistan with this information, and asked to take another cognitive treatment in an attempt to boost his abilities even higher."

"Those two weeks … He looked horrible, but never broke his schedule."

Bruce looked at Shearing like he found her on the bottom of his shoe.

"So he's going to take on Eric Byer, Mark Turso and NRAG by himself." Clint asked.

"He's the perfect candidate. The treatment worked. His intuition has grown to where he's practically telepathic or precognitive or whichever one of those terms they use." Marta blurted.

"So the end justified the means, Doctor?" Steve asked. "Several of us are the end result of that thinking."

Shearing paled and stepped back.

Clint spun around to stalk out of the room taking the baggie with him.

"It's the only way we stop this." Fury called. "They can kill all the subjects, but as long as they have the files they'll never stop."

"There's always backups and redundancies." Tony pointed out.

"Not with this stuff. It will be off network."

~}}}~~~

Eliot sighed pinching the bridge of his nose. Before going through the experimentation process for Operation Outcome, he and Clint had their own particular brands of genius. Clint with his knowledge of angles, trajectories and such, and Eliot with his knowledge of people, their psychologies and behaviors, and planning contingencies based on those behaviors. The alterations had boosted those abilities, and now with the second boost and no time to acclimate to the increase in his psychic abilities, Eliot was fighting to narrow down the scenarios running through his brain. His only back-up and voice in his ear for this operation was JARVIS.

His cover into the CIA was a former weapons specialist moved to desk duty after an injury. His job in this capacity was the inspection, maintenance and inventory of all the weapons currently in the CIA armory. This gave JARVIS a way into the system and kept Eliot away from prying eyes.

He was a week into his inventory when his instincts started clamoring at him to hide. He put everything away so it looked like no one was in the armory before moving into the shadows just as JARVIS warned him Eric Byer and Mark Turso were coming into the armory.

Knowing there was little surveillance in the armory they found a blind spot and discussed the budget hearings in the Senate and how best to divert funds into a new program for LARX.

"The problem is even though it's been five years since Bourne and Landy we're still under the gun." Byer complained. "Auditors are still watching every file and piece of scrap paper in every building, office or lab ever used especially by the National Research Assay Group."

"What do you want to me to do?" I warned you about keeping that stuff. It should have been incinerated after you lost Cross and that doctor." Turso snarked.

"That's thousands of hours and millions of dollars of research!"

"It's not just our jobs, but probably our lives if those files ever see the light of day. It also ruins plans to restart any of the programs. We have buyers for what we can produce. Buyers you really don't want to screw over, Eric."

"It's not just my chestnuts that will roasting Mark, it's yours too."

The retired admiral looked like he'd sucked a lemon, but capitulated.

"Everything in the vault over at NRAG?"

"It's all on external drives that we use on standalone systems so they're never on the network servers."

"What's the protocol for getting the drives out of the vault?"

"I'll worry about that. You need to find me someone to carry them out of the building ... Someone you don't mind using for cannon fodder."

"They're all cannon fodder, Mark."

Eliot watched the two men leave noticing the empty security station outside the door. He finished out the day while beginning to plan his way back into the NRAG.

~}}}~~~

Clint was quietly fretting over Eliot's silence, while Tony and Bruce were much more vocal with both Coulson and Fury. JARVIS wished there was a way he could alleviate some of the worry, but Eliot had sworn him to silence unless Sir asked him directly for the AI told the agent he refused to lie to his creator.

JARVIS, have you heard any buzz on our Wolfman?"

"I'm afraid not, Sir. There has been no communication between Agent Spencer and SHIELD."

"Thanks, J."

"You're welcome, Sir."

"See Hawk. No news is good news. You know if you're feeling frustrated maybe I could talk Pepper into …"

The words stopped spilling from Tony's mouth by the dinner roll Clint had thrown ... Hawkeye never missed.

~}}}~~~

The second alias JARVIS and Eliot set up was a low level agent generally used for playing messenger within the Agency. Pick up the package deliver the package. George Kenneth was such an agent. Quiet, invisible, no one remembers him because he is so non-invasive in his comings and goings.

Eliot made sure every time Byer or Turso needed someone he was there. His patience was rewarded when Turso handed him a box for delivery to a NRAG safe house. On the drive to the house in Alexandria, Virginia, JARVIS copied the drives onto one of his servers so only Eliot and Tony had access. The files would be erased when the last of the agents in Treadstone, Black Briar, Outcome, LARX and any descendants died. If Jason Bourne, Eliot, Clint or the remaining nine LARX subjects produced children, JARVIS would monitor them for any manifestation of abilities due to their parents altered chromosomes. Subjects in these programs didn't usually live lives conducive to having families, but the contingency had to be covered.

Eliot picked up what Turso told him was the last box to go to the safe house when Byer looked up from the papers on his desk.

"Kenneth?"

"Sir?"

"Have we worked together?"

"No, Sir."

Byer studied his badge then his face. Eliot was glad for the tinted glasses that gave him relief from the fluorescent lights.

"How long have you been here?"

"The NRAG or the Agency, Sir?"

"The Agency."

"Five years. I was just transferred back from northern Afghanistan, Sir."

Byer gave him one more look.

"Sorry, you reminded me of someone. Thank you, Agent Kenneth, that'll be all."

With a curt nod Eliot headed for the agency car. He didn't draw a normal breath until he was out the gate headed toward Arlington. The minute he turned onto the street where the safe house was located something felt wrong.

"JARVIS?"

"I believe Admiral Turso and Colonel Byer's endgame is about to begin. There are a dozen agents in and around the house."

"Great. All I need to do is convince them they killed me without pissing off Clint." Eliot grimaced.

"Indeed, though I believe Agent Barton would not be the only person distressed. We're not far from the river."

"The classics never go out of style."

Eliot shoved his Stark Tablet and phone into a waterproof case, put his comm in his ear, and slipped the strap over his head. He parked on the street instead of pulling into the driveway, got out of the car carrying a box like he had every day for the past three. Byer and Turso stepped around the corner of the house as one of the Byer's shock troops opened the front door. Eliot stopped.

"Is something wrong, Sir?"

"I'm afraid so Agent Kenneth. You see there's been a security breach, and I'm afraid you've become our number one suspect."

If Eliot didn't know better, he'd have sworn Byer was truly sorry for what was about to happen.

"But all I do is make deliveries."

"Which, will be the saddest part of the story, Agent Kenneth or may I call you George? A good agent with years of experience duped by a superior that is in the wind after stealing government documents."

"Don't you think that's too many inconsistencies even for you, Colonel Byer … Admiral Turso?"

Shocked that Kenneth knew their ranks, everyone froze giving Eliot the opening he needed. He dropped the box exposing the two silenced Glocks he held. He shot the shock trooper in the door and the two flanking Byer and Turso causing everyone to run for cover while he ran in the direction of the river.

He ran a chaotic pattern that seemed to have no definitive destination. So far the extra kick that the additional treatment had given his precognitive abilities was keeping him out of the shock troops' crosshairs. The house was in the Ashton Heights only a few miles from airport. If he could get to the river he could make his way to the airport. JARVIS had informed him that Pepper was in DC, which meant one of the Stark Industries jets was sitting at Reagan National. All he had to do was get there.

A rush of information caused his vision to white out making him stumble as a bullet ripped through the flesh of his right latissimus muscle. Eliot rolled and came to his feet the pain helping to clear the onslaught of information as keen hearing picked up the sounds of helicopters. Raising mental barriers around his precognition he turned to his other senses to keep track of his pursues. Seeing the fence surrounding Fort Meyer and Arlington National Cemetery, he turned south ducking under the edge of the underpass as chips of concrete and metal bit into his skin, making him wish for his Stark designed battle suit.

Leaning against the bridge support under Interstate 395, he fought to calm his breathing. On the other side of the road were the Pentagon and the airport. The helicopters had to turn back, but he could hear the squeal of tortured rubber as Turso's goons tore through the city streets. There wasn't much time. He had to get to the airport before he started leaving a blood trail.

"Sir, if you can get to the plane, Ms. Potts will be leaving within the next two hours."

"Cake, JARVIS. What's the chatter?"

"They're coming into the front side of the mall now, Eliot."

He cursed the lack of cover, ducking in the Pentagon Mall, picking up a little something to cover his ruined suit jacket and heading out another door. Jogging across the delivery area of the mall, Eliot ran between high rise condos heading for the bird sanctuary hoping for enough cover to get him to the river without shock troops and airport security using him for target practice.

The river was right there. Eliot stopped under the railroad bridge to catch the position of his pursuers and his breath. They were close so he kept under the scant cover of the trestle as he ran for the water. He heard the words, 'take the shot' as he leaned forward to dive into the Potomac. Fire raced up his back, the dark head jerked right as a bullet plowed a furrow up his back, but missed his head as he jackknifed into the river.

Fate must have felt like she'd fucked him enough for one day as he pulled himself from the water, and hid under the tarp over the bed of a maintenance truck that stopped ten feet from Stark's plane. He climbed into the baggage compartment knowing Tony would have it heated and pressurized since he transported sensitive equipment. The pilot was prepping for takeoff so he rolled up in one of the padded blankets used to protect fragile cargo, and thought about how pissed Clint was going to be when they pulled him out of the plane. The plane jerked banging his bleeding back against a metal strut, and Eliot didn't think anymore.

~}}}~~~

Clint ran sensitive fingertips over a dozen custom arrowheads as Tony explained each one's capabilities. The archer stood to compare one of the actual tips to the life sized schematic.

"That won't work there because …"

The arrowhead dropped as Clint grabbed his head and went to his knees. Tony turned around when he heard DUM-E's distressed beeps.

"Clint!"

"Eliot."

"JARVIS! You tell me what's going on with Spencer right now!"

"Sir …"

" **NOW, JARVIS!"**

"Agent Spencer is at present unconscious in the baggage compartment of the plane carrying Ms. Potts from Washington, DC to LaGuardia."

"How soon before they land, and how bad is he hurt?"

Clint was on his feet, but still pale. Closing his eyes he breathed deeply for several minutes. When he opened his eyes he seemed to be himself.

"The bond's been real chaotic all day so I figured things had come to a head. Caught me off guard when it went quiet ... Took a minute before I could figure out if he was dead or unconscious."

"Can this bond thing tell you how bad he's hurt?"

Shaking his head, Clint scrubbed his hand through his hair.

"If I may finish?"

"You're in contact with him?" Clint asked.

"He is wearing his comm. Agent Spencer has a through and through bullet wound in his upper right back, cuts from flying debris, bruises and contusions from the river, and a bullet wound that runs the length of the left side of his back. I have notified Director Fury who is sending a Medical team to the airport as we speak."

"I gotta go. Eliot won't let them near him hurt. Fuckin' Fury knows that."

The archer ran out the workshop still cursing everyone from Fury down as he headed for the garage.

He was surprised when Tony shoved him toward the passenger side of his Acura NSX.

"I'll drive. We'll get through security faster. Besides I'm not going to be the one to tell Wolfman you wrecked on the way to rescue him."

The calloused fingers circling his wrist made Tony look at the younger man.

"Thanks. "

Brown eyes met grey-green in understanding. With a nod the powerful car roared to life and spared no horses through the streets of New York City.

~}}}~~~

Chaos reigned when Tony slid to a stop by the Stark Industries jet. Tony and Clint saw Eliot, covered in blood and dirt standing against the wall of the hangar using his body to shield Pepper from the men and women surrounding him. Bodies littered the ground between the plane and the hangar. The two Avengers recognized Happy and Rhodey and several SHIELD agents they'd worked with on other missions. Nick stood by the medical van on his cell phone. They'd walked into the middle of a Mexican Stand-off.

"Pepper?"

Tony started forward only to be pulled up short by Clint.

"Tony."

Brown eyes pleaded with Clint.

"He won't hurt her. He's protecting her."

"But …"

"It's the treatment he got before he left. He didn't have time to assimilate everything before they shipped his ass to DC. He's wounded, confused, and all six of his senses are overloaded. He's identified Pepper as a friend, but he doesn't know Happy or Colonel Rhodes that well. Ask JARVIS if his comm is still working."

"Can't you just do your Obi-Wan thing?"

"I'm getting a lot of static, I think I can get through, but he needs two points of reference. JARVIS would be one, and I'll be the other."

Tony pulled out his phone. Nick Fury yelled.

"AGENT BARTON!"

"Sir."

"Are you seeing better from a distance or are you going to do something?"

"Assessing the situation and beginning to resolve said situation now, Sir."

"You need to hurry the hell up. I've got bodies stacking up on the tarmac and airport security is getting twitchy."

The Hawk turned on his superior.

"You would NOT be in this situation if you hadn't jacked his senses. You would NOT be in this situation if you'd called me the minute you knew he was wounded. You know the protocol ... You wrote the fucking protocol for this situation. You're lucky you only have unconscious bodies and not DEAD bodies ... Sir."

Fury backed up from the deadly expression in the colorless eyes before he caught himself and straightened.

"Just talk him down, Barton."

The Hawk mantled then settled.

"Yes, Sir."

"Tony?"

"His comm is live. JARVIS has been talking steady. So far Eliot's trusting what he says, but there's too many people, and he's in too much pain to get a handle on his senses."

"Okay. I need you to act as an anchor. Shit. Eliot usually does this part. JARVIS keep talking. Tell Eliot I'm trying to reach him on our private channel. Tony, I know you don't like touching, but I need your hand on my arm, shoulder ... Somewhere so I have a connection to the outside world."

"I can do that."

His hand settled on archer's shoulder.

"How do you feel about taking on a wounded wolf without your armor?"

"Good ... Yeah ... Okay, let's do this ... He's had his shots ... Right?"

Pepper proved what a smart woman she was by staying silent and letting Eliot protect her as she watched Clint and Tony move closer. She could hear JARVIS talking to Eliot, but Eliot's answers were too soft to carry. When Eliot began to rub his temples and pinch the bridge of his nose, hope flared that Clint and JARVIS were getting through. When he raised his head, Pepper could tell the confusion had cleared, but stayed where she was when Tony shook his head as he released Clint's shoulder.

"Clint?"

"Hey Babe. Ready to let Medical patch you up?"

"What?"

Blue-grey eyes darted around taking in bodies, Fury, and Pepper.

"Fuck. Happy … Colonel Rhodes?"

"Just knocked out … Everyone's just knocked out."

Clint continued his crooning tone until he had his arms around Eliot.

"Sorry …"

His exhausted body gave out, but Clint and Tony were there to ease him to the ground. Tony had barely straightened when he got two armfuls of trembling strawberry blonde.

"It was terrifying and beautiful and confusing and I know he thought he was protecting me and is he going to be alright?"

Medical personnel approached quietly, working slowly and efficiently to get to his wounds. As they loaded the gurney in the back of the black van, Clint dropped Eliot's comm in Tony's hand.

"Tell JARVIS, thanks for watching over him."

"I will."

Clint climbed in behind as Tony and Pepper turned to their friends.

"Tony?'

"Yeah, Hawkniss."

"Thank you."

The door slammed on Stark's reply.

~}}}~~~

Three days later, Eliot and Clint were in the Challenger traveling north for a visit with Professor Xavier. They hoped a few days working with the telepath would help Eliot get a handle on his increased abilities. Happy and Colonel Rhodes were still nursing their bruises and embarrassment at being taken down by a wounded man. They both relaxed at being away from SHIELD, and Stark Tower. Clint still felt out of place at SHIELD, or on the helicarrier, and Eliot felt out of place with The Avengers now that Coulson was back at work.

The one bright spot in the whole mess was Natasha. Coulson's near death experience pushed the red-head out of the safety of her place between Eliot and Clint, and into admitting she had deeper feelings for Phil ... Just don't call it love.

Buzzed through the gate, Scott Summers and Logan were waiting when they stopped at the front entrance.

"Agent Barton, if you'll come with me, you can take your luggage to your room while Logan shows Agent Spencer where to park."

"It's Clint and Eliot."

Grabbing their bags out of the trunk, the archer grinned at Scott. The two X-Men visibly relaxed.

Fifteen minutes later the four stood outside the library door. A willowy red-head opened the door giving them a smile as she motioned them inside, leaving with Scott and Logan.

"Gentlemen, welcome and have a seat. Jean has brought us a variety of refreshments it you'd like."

"Thanks."

Eliot moved to the buffet and fixed Clint a cup of coffee and himself a cup of tea. An arched eyebrow at the Professor had the telepath moving from behind his desk as he parked his chair so he was an equal distance between the two men as Eliot handed him his tea.

"Director Fury was somewhat vague about the reason for your visit."

With a sigh the two men explained the history of their bond and the experimentation done during Operation Outcome, and Dr. Shearing's latest round of manipulation to further enhance Eliot's precognitive abilities.

"May I?" Xavier asked.

Nodding his consent, Eliot made the effort to relax the barriers he kept in place against everyone but Clint. He fought to stay relaxed as he felt the whisper of the Professor's mental touch. He rubbed his forehead when he felt the telepath withdraw.

"The reason you became overloaded, Agent … Eliot, was with Dr. Shearing's last treatment whatever chromosomes it was she manipulated, the mutation did not stop. I'm afraid it's going to continue to mutate probably at a faster rate than you can assimilate."

"So I'll what … Go insane from information overload."

"That is a possible scenario. Another is having Phoenix stabilize or 'reset' what was done."

"Will she take out our bond?"

Eliot's eyes widened then his expression shuttered at Clint's question.

"If that's what you want."

"No, that's not what I want ... I'm just making sure she won't mess with it."

He glared at Eliot who had the good sense to look sheepish.

"I'm sure you'll want to get back to the city without delay so why don't we meet back here after dinner, which is in two hours ... If that's alright with you?"

They nodded their agreement.

"Make yourselves at home. Most everyone's out back."

"Thanks, Professor."

The X-Men and the students were welcoming and the beer was cold so they spent a relaxing afternoon and dinner. They soon found themselves back in the library with Xavier and Jean Grey. The Professor asked Clint to join him in his office while Jean worked with Eliot. The archer wanted to refuse, but the expression on the telepath's face said it wasn't an option. When the door closed Clint could no longer feel his bond with Eliot.

"What? ... No!"

He turned to go back.

"Agent Barton."

Xavier kept his tone level. The trauma of being enthralled by Loki and the Tessaract lay very close to the surface of Clint's thoughts, and he did not want to add to it by having to resort to mind control, but he could not be connected to Eliot while he was connected to The Phoenix.

"It will only be for a short time. You and Eliot cannot be in contact mentally while Jean is working."

Smoky eyes studied the Professor, the dark blond head cocked just so. Satisfied with whatever he saw he gave a short nod and went to settle in one of the many window seats. He knew how to wait.

~}}}~~~

Nate looked at the information Hardison had found on PEP Athletics. Parker was getting ready to fly to Washington, but there was a lot of territory to cover. They really needed Eliot ... He needed Eliot. The retrieval specialist disappearing into the bowels of SHIELD put a wrinkle in his plans.

"Hardison, have you found a way to get in touch with Eliot?"

"No. I didn't know I was supposed to find him." He turned away from the three scowls. "He left us, and he specifically said to call Quinn or Shelley."

"He would have come back if you hadn't been so mean."

"I was trying to …"

"To what, Hardison, Eliot has not just one lover, but two ... Besides Quinn doesn't have Eliot's finesse, and Shelley's a showboat."

The hacker ducked his head. What had started as an act of jealous pique had snowballed as each success yielded another piece of the Eliot puzzle that he just had to follow. In his excitement he couldn't help but share his discoveries, which constantly agitated Parker

Parker frowned. Her relationship with Hardison had been rocky since Eliot left. He would show her files and all she could see was the danger to Eliot. She didn't know how to stop the hacker, but maybe Eliot's friends could help her. Making sure she'd gotten rid of all of Hardison's gadgets, she headed to the suburbs.

Letting herself into one of her many safe houses, she sat cross-legged on the bed and pulled Bunny into her arms, then pressed one of his eyes until she heard a click. She reached inside and pulled out the phone Eliot had slipped in her jacket pocket the day he left with his new … Old … Whatever family. She pressed the only number on the phone.

"Yes, Miss Parker."

"Who's this?"

"I am called JARVIS. Agent Spencer said I should render assistance if you called."

"Cool. Can you stop Hardison before he gets Eliot killed?"

"I'm afraid it's too late for that."

"Eliot's dead?" Her eyes started to fill with tears.

"He was wounded in the course of an operation that was precipitated by your Hardison's stumbling about like a club footed cow."

"But Hardison's the best there is at hacking."

"Yes, well, others have said the same."

"But can you stop him from hurting Eliot?"

"Agent Spencer's records have all been placed out of the reach of anyone. All of Sir's family records have been placed out of reach."

"That's good then. Do you know when Eliot's coming home?"

"I expect Agents Spencer and Barton to return to the Tower by Friday."

The AI purposely misunderstood the question.

"The Tower? No. I meant to Portland."

"Agent Spencer has no plans to return to Oregon. He's been permanently assigned to The Avengers Initiative."

"Is it because of Hardison?"

"I can't say, Miss Parker. Agent Spencer's reasoning is his own. Perhaps you should call him and ask."

"How?"

"Use this phone and if there is no world ending event taking place I will connect you."

"Thanks JARVIS. Tell him I called? Oh, and tell him to call Nate."

"I will pass along the message."

Parker put the phone back in its hiding place, and headed back to the office. She didn't know who JARVIS was, but from the way he sounded there was no way she was going to be able to steal Eliot back. Maybe she could get Eliot to steal _Leverage_.

~}}}~~~

A nimbus of red haloed the head of the beautiful woman standing in the guest room. The wolf had moved to cover the hawk as both men began to wake when she entered the room. Caught by surprise at how lightly they slept, it had taken her a moment for her power to give their minds a nudge that sent the men tangled in the middle of the bed into a deeper sleep.

Jean Grey had shied away from the private areas of their minds, but the Phoenix entity had been intrigued by the intelligent but feral nature of the men. Though they were blooded warriors they still held to a code that seemed as warped as they. Fascinated, the Phoenix watched their dreams then reached out to soothe the wolf, the flames of life that danced on her fingertips quieting the faces that tumbled through his dreams. Curiosity satisfied, she stepped back from the bed pleased with her work.

If Jean blushed at the wink both men gave her as they settled in the orange Challenger the next morning, the Professor was gentleman enough to not mention it.

~}}}~~~

They were unpacking when Eliot asked JARVIS for his messages.

"Director Fury and Agent Coulson request your presence upon your return, and there was a call from Miss Parker."

"Parker ... Isn't that your little blonde thief?" Clint asked.

Eliot arched an eyebrow at the question.

"What can I say? I'm a fan."

"You both hang out in the duct work way too much." Eliot teased.

Grabbing a handful of the dark hair that the Phoenix had grown back to its original length while they slept, Clint pulled the retrieval expert into a kiss that deepened until duffels and covers were thrown to the floor along with clothes and weapons.

Clint collapsed onto Eliot's chest as his breathing and heart rate began to spiral toward normal. He gave a breathy whine as Eliot's softened cock slipped from his body. Rolling, he pinned the archer to the bed his tongue catching the rivulet of sweat running down his neck.

"If we didn't have go the office I'd tune up that whine ... It's still a tad sharp."

Teeth worried the tendon giving a little shake with a growl. Clint, still wallowing in the physical and mental sensations arched up while wrapping a strong leg around Eliot's hip to encourage him to keep going.

"Insatiable much, Hawk."

"It's been fuckin' forever. The Brothers Royale aren't going to be happy when you get finished with them so we might as well let them be their usual lovable selves a little longer."

"The quicker we take care of business, the quicker we can get back to enjoying the fruits of Stark's labor."

"Oh yay. Let's go play with SHIELD's pet telepaths, listen to Fury bitch 'cause you hid the files, and Coulson bitch over the paperwork needed for stowing away in the belly of a plane then beating up an Air Force officer in a private hangar at LaGuardia."

Clint complained as he rolled over to watch the beauty that was a naked Eliot Spencer heading for the bathroom. Remembering the Tower's showers were big enough to accommodate a Roman orgy had Clint launching himself from the bed to scrub Eliot's back.

~}}}~~~

Fury met the news of Eliot hiding the Operation Outcome files with a brief tantrum before throwing a file on the table glaring while Eliot read its contents. When he finished he pinched the bridge of his nose. It was a tell he was going to have to eliminate.

"Is there any way I can convince you not to do this?"

"We use independent contractors all the time, Agent Spencer. They're the best at what they do, and with your influence they've also been very helpful to SHIELD. Don't you want them under our umbrella of protection?"

"Dammit, Nick. You're not protecting them or there wouldn't be half the alphabet sitting in front of a bar in Boston."

Eliot refused to let Nick Fury rattle him. When Jean Grey turned his precognition back to the levels he would have naturally developed even without Operation Outcome's tampering, she'd left behind an instruction guide. Only Clint and The Phoenix knew what she'd done, and the psi-talents that worked for SHIELD weren't strong enough to 'see' other than what the two men wished.

"Once Nate has all the pieces, he'll see through your little farce."

"Are you going to give him those pieces?"

"I won't need to ... I'll be calling Nate, who's going to tell me to meet them in Washington, and when it's all said and done he'll be making noises about moving the team back to the east coast since I won't leave Clint or The Avengers."

Fury spun around from where he'd been watching the repair crews put the finishing touches on the helicarrier. They'd be back out in open water by this time tomorrow. The smirk on Spencer's face told the Director he hadn't hidden his reaction.

"You're right. _Leverage Associates_ is an asset I need out there, but I need them close to you. I'm asking a lot for you to ride herd on them and The Avengers, I want Coulson back to being my 'one good eye', and I'll see what I can do about getting you a competent assistant that the children will tolerate."

"Now you're just being a tease. You know I hate paperwork." The smile faded. "You're not expecting Coulson to return to full field status?"

"I expect he will ... Eventually. That's why I'm keeping him."

"I leave you to tell Agent Romanoff. Love may be for children, but she considers Phil to be hers and like Stark, she doesn't like people to touch her stuff."

"I thought you and Barton belonged to Widow?"

Eliot chuckled at the puppet master's confusion.

"We do, but telling her Loki killed Phil made her realize he's belongs to her on a deeper level. You need a scorecard, Nick. You're losing track of your players. Movie night has become quite the bonding time at Stark … I mean Avengers' Tower … There's beanbags and giant couches … Piles of bodies everywhere. You soon lose track of …"

"ENOUGH! TMI, Spencer. I'll let you handle Ford as you see fit, but get me an answer, and keep Alec Hardison out of my systems. Dismissed."

"You're in luck ... JARVIS doesn't like Hardison and has become fiercely protective of any systems with information about 'his people'."

Eliot didn't stay to see the Director's reaction to that comment, but he could hear the man shouting for Agent Hill as the bridge door closed behind him. After their conversation he looked for Fury to name Coulson and Hill to both be Assistant Directors ... Hill to stand beside him while Coulson skulked in the shadows around SHIELD's pet projects.

He could feel Clint's surprise and laughter as he let parts of his thoughts flow through their new bond. Thanks to The Phoenix, it went from a strictly empathic to a full blown telepathic bond. The archer met him at the gangway with a few more of their things that had been found during the clean-up.

Clint took care of stowing the gear they'd brought back to the Tower while Eliot went to start dinner. They silently discussed Eliot's meeting with Fury, agreed that they would miss having Natasha with them, but were happy Phil had someone who understood him and would push him to get back to normal.

A bleary eyed Tony and Bruce wandered through the kitchen on their way to the dining room … Tony to the bar and Bruce to set the table.

"If you're talking to Legolas tell him I've got some new toys to check out after we eat."

"I will."

Eliot studied the genius for a minute wondering if Tony was that intuitive or if the energy from the arc reactor was close to the same frequency as psi energy. Speculations of what would happen if he touched the arc reactor energy ran through his mind.

 ** _*Pepper and I might have a thing or two to say about you feeling up Stark's chest.*_**

Clint sent through the bond.

 ** _*That's not the only place there's an arc reactor.*_**

 ** _*Don't you think we've been experimented on enough for one lifetime?*_**

The fatigue and fear that came through had Eliot feeling contrite so when Clint walked in the kitchen he pulled him close and murmured apologies against his throat.

If they were unusually clingy after Clint and Tony came from trying out the new toys, the others didn't tease though Natasha quirked a questioning eyebrow from where she sat with Phil's head in her lap. She relaxed at the wink Clint gave her.

~}}}~~~

Mentally and physically exhausted they headed for their room. Realizing he hadn't called Parker, Eliot saw it was only nine o'clock in Portland.

"Sparky!"

"Parker."

"Are you coming home?"

"I am home, Parker. As much as I miss being with you guys, I have to be here, but you can come visit."

"What about the jobs? ... **_The Brew Pub_**?"

"You guys will have to keep saving the world one bad guy at a time. I'll be here doing the heavy lifting."

"Who's gonna teach me stuff?"

Eliot's heart clenched at the forlorn question.

"You're fine, Parker, but if it gets bad you can visit and drive Tony crazy."

"I can!?"

"Yeah, but just you. JARVIS would probably drop Hardison down an elevator shaft without a rig."

"I know the feeling. Hey! Call Nate. We got a job in DC and he said he needs you 'cause Quinn and Shelley aren't you."

"As soon as we hang up I'll call him." Eliot chuckled.

"Eliot?"

"Yeah, Parker."

"When I get to the airport where do I tell the cab to take me?"

"Stark Tower even though some people are calling it The Avengers Tower."

"Will you cook?"

"I always cook, sweetheart."

"Can I push your boyfriend off the roof?"

"You won't have to ... He'd jump before you and probably without a rig."

"Cool. Nate's yelling so I gotta go inside. I didn't want anyone listening."

"I don't jump off buildings without a good reason. What is it with everyone? A building crumbles under you and people think you're some kind of daredevil."

Clint huffed as he pinched Eliot's side in retribution. Eliot grabbed a handful hair and pulled back the archer's head kissing him deeply while the phone dialed Nate's number.

"Hello."

He grinned at the glazed expression in grey eyes.

"Parker said you wanted to talk to me."

"You talked to Parker?"

"That's what I said, but if you don't need anything I've got a hot body in an obscenely decadent bed."

"What … Oh … Yeah … We … Uh… Have a job. I need you to meet us in DC in two days."

"Things are quiet at the moment. I can probably arrange some time. How long?"

"Three ... Four days at the most."

"Send me the file and where you're staying."

"We're getting ready to run it. Hardison can pull you into the conference."

"Security protocols. I'll have my guy handle it. I'll be right there."

"Great."

He cut the call and powered up his Tablet and threw the screens out where Clint could watch.

"JARVIS, can you patch us in, capture the files, but only show me?"

"Certainly."

The _Leverage_ offices appeared with everyone present on one screen while Hardison's Power Point appeared on another.

"Eliot, you're looking well." Sophie said.

"Hey, y'all."

Hardison smiled but his tone was a bit sullen. Parker waved.

"Now that we're all here, run it."

~}}}~~~

At breakfast the next morning, Eliot pulled Pepper to the side and asked when she was returning to Washington.

"You could have asked JARVIS." She admonished.

"Your schedule is none of my business unless I need to find you because Tony is injured."

"You're scheduled to take off at 7pm. The limo will be out front at 6:15."

"Thank you, JARVIS. Need a ride?"

"If it's not an inconvenience…"

"Never. It'll give me time to pick your brain on some things."

Eliot's stomach flipped at the warm smile with devilish twinkle in her eye. He might have to rethink flying commercial. He'd faced SAVAK interrogators that didn't worry him as much as Pepper Potts.

Once they got to Washington, she insisted he share Stark Industries' residence at the Ritz-Carlton while he was in town. Though he knew he wouldn't see much of it, Eliot agreed enjoying the smile that lit her face ... Even Happy was pleased that she wouldn't be staying alone. Lucky for him the rest of the team except Parker were staying in one of the suites at the Ritz.

Sophie answered his knock.

"Eliot, come in. We were expecting room service, but this is even better."

He kissed her on the cheek and gave her one of his rare smiles.

"Sophie."

"El, my man, you're lookin' good."

Eliot eyed him warily. The crap he'd been through with the CIA because of Hardison's poking in corners was not so far back in his memory as to dull the pain of his injuries.

"Hardison … Nate."

"Good. Let's get started. Eliot you're Steven Trent …"

While running the game, Eliot watched the others. Nate hovering in the background while letting the four of them run loose through the halls of Congress had his precognition working overtime. When Nate kept sending him back after LaGrange instead of stepping in to take control, Eliot's hackles rose ... He knew all the Congressman's weak spots, no one ran background checks like JARVIS, but he wanted to see what game their mastermind was playing. By the time the PEP Athletic CEO was in custody, and the cheerleader bill passed the committee, he still didn't have enough information.

When they climbed out of the cab at the hotel there was surprise waiting. The SI limo sat out front with Happy leaning against the door. He straightened when he saw Eliot and opened the back door revealing 'Agent' Clint Barton. He stepped out of the car and waited until the others gathered behind Eliot.

"The Director sent me to bring you and your team into the office."

Eliot could hear Hardison suck wind to launch a tirade when Happy started to crack his knuckles. He heard the hacker's jaw snap shut. He wanted to laugh at Happy's antics, but he was too busy pulling back the reins on his anger at Fury.

"Eliot?"

"It's fine, Sophie. Go pack your stuff. We're going to a meeting after which you can go shopping in New York City."

"As long as it's nothing serious …"

"I'll brief you on the way to the airport after you get checked out."

He had them herded into the elevators before they realized what he was doing, Clint stood silent sentry at his shoulder, their mental bond lit up like the fourth of July.

 ** _What the fuck?_**

 ** _You know Fury._**

 ** _He keeps on he's going to need Phil to be both his eyes. He didn't listen to a damn word I said._**

 ** _He listened he just didn't accept your 'No.' for an answer. Fury gets what he wants one way or another._**

 ** _This couldn't have waited until tomorrow? Am I packed?_**

 ** _No and yes. Happy let me in the SI Residence. When was the last time you slept?_**

 ** _It was going to be tonight so do not start. Is this why you've been blocking the bond?_**

 ** _I'm just the messenger._**

 ** _You're going to get the message when we get back to the Tower._**

 ** _Promise?_**

Eliot was glad for his habit of leaving his shirt tail untucked as the emotions Clint sent down the bond got an instant response from his body.

Fifteen minutes later he was herding everyone into the limo the stern visages of Clint and Happy keeping everyone quiet, though Parker did give Clint a wink. When everyone was settled he explained Nick Fury's plan.

"You'd be independent contractors taking whatever jobs you wanted, but every once in a while SHIELD would throw you a case file. In addition to the usual 'alternative income streams' you'd receive some kind of recompense, and the protection of SHIELD should things get dicey with the LEOs, Sterling, various and sundry other agencies."

"A ' _Get Out Of Jail Free'_ card?" Parker asked.

"In a manner of speaking ... The idea still being, don't get caught, Hardison cleaning up after, SHIELD techs will double check that all the I's were dotted and T's crossed. _Leverage_ keeps doing what it's been doing, but carrying a full time client on the side."

"What about you?" Nate asked.

"I stay where I am plus act as liaison between _Leverage_ and SHIELD."

"You'll still punch people for us?"

Hardison's question earned him a punch in the arm from Parker.

"Ow, Momma. You don't have to hit so hard."

"Don't whine."

Flashing SHELD ID gets them waved through airport security with little delay. Their luggage is loaded in the Quinjet while Clint runs pre-flight and Eliot gets everyone buckled up before taking the co-pilot's seat.

Clint and Eliot eavesdrop, while listening to the radio chatter from the helicarrier and Eliot gives Clint a sharp look as they continue over the water. After twenty minutes of arguing, the consensus is they listen to the offer before making a final decision. Parker and Nate are the 'Aye' votes. Parker because it gets Eliot back and Nate because it dovetails with his other plans. Sophie and Hardison the 'Nay' votes.

After an hour of flying over open water, Clint finally radioed for landing instructions.

"Q4387 what is your payload?" The Air BOSS asks.

"Delivery for the Director."

"Say again Q4387."

"Above your security clearance, Air BOSS. Set us down." Eliot's tone is cold.

"Authorization."

"Alpha 3."

"Acknowledged."

Clint brought the Quinjet to rest at Fury's private entrance.

"Leave all bags, electronics and weapons on the jet. It will be secure until we depart for the mainland."

He watched and waited. Clint lowered the ramp and Eliot watched a little longer before Hardison and Parker both grumbled, but threw a few more things in the basket Eliot set on the seat. The retrievalist turned his stare on Sophie.

"Seriously, you think …"

With a huff several more items hit the basket, and only then did Eliot turn to lead them off the Quinjet, Clint followed behind after grabbing his bow and quiver.

 ** _Loaded for bear, darlin'?_**

 ** _With this crew ... You bet. I may shoot Hardison in the ass just for grins and chuckles._**

 ** _The Glock and knife would have been enough._**

 ** _Honoring the brand. It's not Hawkeye without the bow._**

 ** _I can see I'm going to have to separate you and Stark._**

Their internal dialogue was cut short as Eliot motioned for them to sit at the conference table overlooking the bridge. Eliot and Clint exchanged a smirk at Hardison's bug-eyed expression.

"Is that …"

He spun around to go for the stairs and promptly ran into a leather and body armor wearing Nick Fury. With a yelp and a leap that would have done an Olympic athlete proud, he got in behind Eliot while Clint fought to keep a straight face and Hill and Coulson acted the perfect agents. Eliot rolled his eyes at Nick's smirk. Hardison sat between Sophie and Parker.

"I am Nick Fury, Director of SHIELD. These are my Assistant Directors, Hill and Coulson. Agent Spencer briefed you on why I asked you here today so I'll get right to the point. Yes or No?"

"As you know Eliot is a man of few words so before we give our answer we'd like to hear the long version as opposed to the cliff notes."

Nate sat back and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Bottom line, I wanted to haul you all in, sit you down at a table and tell you to sign the contract in front of you or I was going to let all the alphabets and Interpol fight over who got to put you in jail."

At the word jail everyone's attention snapped onto the one-eyed king.

"Agent Spencer made his displeasure known for that idea and as I have a certain fondness for my right eye and sleeping, so we came to a compromise."

Everyone turned to look in the same direction as Fury when he glared at the three agents leaning against the rail and each other, the curvy red-head twirling a small dagger over her knuckles. The others turned their attention back to Fury, but Hardison continued to stare until cold green eyes met his and the grip on the dagger shifted. The hacker snapped his head back to watch the Director and his Assistants.

"I like her." Parker whispered.

Eliot bumped Natasha with his hip and gave her a wink as Coulson activated the smart table.

"In front of each of you is a contract. It's a standard contract in these situations ... Non-disclosure, terms of the agreement between the parties, etc. We will have an agreement before you leave today, or I guarantee you will feel the heat like never before. AD Coulson will take care of any changes or addendums, but I for one recommend you do NOT undo all of Agent Spencer's hard work."

They all looked over at Eliot who presented them with the same bland special agent face everyone else was wearing. Four heads bowed over the table.

In his office, Fury watched the monitors. He watched as the brunette, Devereaux, looked at Eliot. He watched as she looked at the contract then back to where he still leaned against Barton with Romanoff leaning against them both.

"Eliot, what did this cost?"

"Nothing."

Her expression said she didn't believe him.

"You don't have to do this. This is not who you are."

"That's where you're wrong, Sophie. It's exactly who I am, and have always been. That's why Dubenich wanted me. That's why Nate called me back in Los Angeles."

Brown eyes jerked from Eliot to Nate who shrugged and continued to read. Sophie signed her name.

"But … But… I thought …" Hardison wasn't sure where to look.

"Since Eliot and Parker have the most to lose if one of Nate's plans goes sideways then I agree."

"Do I get to play with all your cool toys?" Hardison grinned at Coulson.

"No. Agent Spencer has put safeguards in place that will burn you to ground if you try."

"Now that's just harsh. I thought we was bros."

"Yeah … Well you almost got me killed poking around the CIA so sign the damn contract and get your ass on the jet."

Eliot stalked out of the door while the agents that remained stared at Hardison like he was next on their hit parade. He signed. Coulson turned them over to Agent Sitwell who got them ID's that gave access to parts of SHIELD such as medical.

"Agents Romanoff and Barton will escort you back to the flight deck. Welcome to SHIELD."

Sitwell smirked at the two Avengers as he continued down the hall.

Clint fed Eliot a running commentary through their bond as he watched Hardison pant after Natasha. Parker dropped back to walk beside him. Nate and Sophie dropped back until it was Hardison and the Black Widow.

"She's going to hurt him isn't she?" Parker asked.

Clint gave a nasty chuckle.

"She's a Black Widow. What do you think? Don't blink."

The hacker reached out and laid his hand on the small of the red-head's back.

"Hey little Momma maybe you could …"

Was all he got out before he was being strangled by a clean musk smelling vice while being hit with a Widow's Bite. As he crumbled to the deck, Natasha tucked and rolled to her feet while Hardison twitched on the deck. She looked at Parker.

"He's yours ... You bring him."

Parker picked up a foot and started to drag the hacker toward the flight deck, his chin bouncing on the deck.

"Parker!"

"What."

"At least get him on his feet." Sophie said.

The thief rolled her eyes and with Nate's help got Hardison on his feet. Between the two of them they got him in the Quinjet. It was a subdued group that landed at the SHIELD heliport and herded into a black Suburban. When Eliot stopped in front of the Trump International Hotel it was just after midnight.

"You've got two nights here on SHIELD's dime. That'll give you time to sleep and get plane tickets back to Portland."

"What about you?"

"I'm taking my boy and going home ... Well what passes for home or an insane asylum depending on how long Tony's been awake." He mumbled.

Parker grabbed his arm.

"Yes, Parker, just not at the ass crack of dawn."

She hugged his neck so hard he felt like Natasha had him between her thighs.

"Come for breakfast."

"Pancakes?"

"Sure."

The blonde grabbed her bag and a key card from Sophie and sprinted for the elevators. With a tired sigh he turned to climb in the SUV.

"Eliot?"

He turned to look at Nate. Sophie and Hardison were trailing behind Parker.

"What did you give Fury for our deal?"

"Nothing I haven't given before."

The door shut in the mastermind's face.

~}}}~~~

Sleeping through the night had put Eliot in a much better frame of mind, but he was still relieved when the elevator opened to only Parker. JARVIS would take care of jamming any tracking devices Hardison stuck on her so he relaxed to her familiar kind of crazy.

She got a little shy when the others started to wander to the table, but was soon asking Natasha to show her the move she did on Hardison. Tony sat and stared while he inhaled his first cup of coffee.

"Have you ever stolen from me?"

Parker looked puzzled.

"Who are you?"

"Cute. Tony Stark-Iron Man-genius-billionaire-philanthropist-sometimes playboy."

Parker stared at Tony.

"OH, the guy in the suit that did the thing. Yeah. No, I've never stolen from you. I promised Eliot. You give money away ... Are you crazy?"

"Okay then, you can stay."

"How's she doing?" Clint asked as he filled his coffee mug.

"Just one more inmate."

Parker was arguing harnesses, alarm systems and rigs with Clint and Tony while Eliot slipped off to his office. With Fury taking back Coulson and making him one of his Assistant Directors, his work load increased. If Nick didn't soon get him someone to handle the drudgery, he was going to ask Pepper. That woman had better sources than SHIELD.

Seeing the time, Parker hopped off the couch.

"Gotta go. They'll be having a fit 'cause I'm flying under the radar."

"Come on Barton, Parker's given me some ideas for expanding your quiver while keeping down the bulk."

At the floor for Tony's workshop, Parker stopped Clint.

"You'll watch him? Sometimes he gets caught … Inside the memories."

Clint smiled warmly at her concern.

"We're the Hawk and the Wolf, it's what we do, Sweetheart."

"Nate's worried. He's afraid about what Eliot promised the one-eyed king for us."

"So am I, Parker ... So am I."

The archer gave her a warm, dry kiss on the cheek.

"Take care, little thief."

She stared wide-eyed at the door until it stopped.

"This isn't the lobby."

"I thought perhaps you would like to say goodbye to Agent Spencer." JARVIS said.

"I should, huh?"

"I believe it would help raise his spirits."

"Thanks, JARVIS. Do you watch out for everyone like you do Eliot?"

"They're becoming Sir's family so I watch over them."

Eliot looked up from his computer.

"Going back to the hotel?"

"Yeah. I'm sure Hardison's giving birth to some kind of farm animal because he can't track me."

"It's not my business so I'm only going to say this once. I know you've got bolt holes all over the world, but if you need some place that's not Archie, promise me you'll use that phone I gave you or come here."

"I promise."

"Good. Now I got work …"

The words were cut off when Parker pressed a brief kiss on his lips before darting out of the office.

~}}}~~~

Things settled. Eliot was moving between _Leverage_ and The Avengers with little conflict. Fury had given him Agent Jasper Sitwell. While Clint was away with Sitwell on a mission, Eliot sequestered himself and called for JARVIS. After the AI had answered Eliot's questions, Eliot began securing his office.

"If I may inquire where you're going?"

"I'm sorry, JARVIS, but I can't put you in a position to go against your main programming."

"I'm not sure I understand."

"If I tell you my plans and Tony asks you where I am what do you tell him?"

"Where you are ... Your reasoning is sound."

"Thank you, JARVIS."

For the next month, Eliot disappeared for days at time, never giving any explanation on his return. Clint was beginning to worry. There was little the two men didn't know about each other, but whatever Eliot was doing he was hiding it away so deep it couldn't be seen in their bond. When he'd asked JARVIS, the AI seemed evasive so he went to Tony.

"Sir, I was not being evasive with Agent Barton, I simply do not have that information. Eliot specifically said he wanted me to be ignorant of the matter for this very reason."

"Son of a bitch, I'll put an arrow through his good eye." Clint growled.

"What … What have you got? Something about Fury?"

Stark started flipping screens.

"JARVIS."

"We are in SHIELD's system, Sir, but there is nothing about any mission for Agent Spencer."

"No. This would only be on paper or in the Director's head. That's the way the most secret stuff is handled. Paper only ... 'eyes only."

"You think Agent would know?"

"Sir, Agent Spencer has returned and his currently in the quarters he shares with Agent Barton."

"Status?"

"He appears to suffering mild dehydration, exhaustion, bruises, and several wounds that have healed to the point I cannot determine their cause."

"That would be my cue. Thanks, Tony, JARVIS."

The next several hours were spent trying to mentally and physically sooth Eliot into sleep. The dreams were jumbled, and while Clint could pick up bits and pieces it wasn't enough to put the pieces together. He'd just gotten Eliot settled back into deep sleep when their door cracked and a slim blonde slipped through. She kicked off her shoes and slipped under the covers and tucked herself against Eliot's chest. With Clint curled around his back and Parker tucked against his front, the retrieval specialist finally relaxed.

~}}}~~~

Nick Fury locked the door to his quarters. His black leather coat landed on the chair. Three fingers of Bushmills in a glass. He started reading through a stack of reports on his desk when several newspaper clippings fluttered from among the crisp white sheets. Picking them off the floor, he smiled as he read the names. Lt. Col. Eric Byer, Retired, Victor Dubenich, Admiral Mark Turso, Retired, and Damien Moreau ... All dead from natural causes. They'd served their purpose, but had become liabilities to his plans.

A satisfied smile lit his face as he leaned back in his chair and propped his feet on the desk. His wolf was back with his hawk, and he had a shiny new set of assets to deploy.

All hail the one eyed king. Long live the king.

~ Fini ~


	2. Great Was The Fall

Eliot fought to keep his breathing steady. He cursed Fury for keeping him on the run until he could hardly remember where he landed. The weight on his chest felt like home, and as his brain caught up with his senses, he relaxed. He was accustomed to people using him for a body pillow, but the past year there had been only Clint after Natasha paired off with Agent Coulson. Cracking open an eye he recognized Parker's bright hair. Letting his muscles relax, he drifted back into the arms of Morpheus.

The next time he woke he was alone, but felt better than he had in weeks. Taking a minute to enjoy the sight and smells of home, he finally climbed out of his decadent bed and headed for the shower. He wanted to get his debrief with Fury over so he could start locking the memories in the vault of 'things best forgotten'.

The one-eyed king looked out over his kingdom. Hands behind his back he was feeling smug about the state of affairs throughout his world. Picking the heavy crystal tumbler off the window sill, he sipped the aged Irish whiskey while watching part of his kingdom being rebuilt—all his pieces were in play and his control—absolute.

His living chess pieces had things well in the hand—the small annoyances were being handled by his pawns in the field—the corporate annoyances were being handled by the Leverage team with the huge annoyances taken care of by The Avengers and their handler…his wolf, Eliot Spencer. His Deputies, Phil Coulson and Maria Hill coordinated everything like a well rehearsed ballet leaving the one-eye king to deal with the World Security Council and a few other giant pains in his ass that kept his world from being perfect.

Nate Ford looked up from his reading when he heard a girlish giggle. He knew Sophie was still at the theater so it had to be Hardison and Parker returning from a matinee of some geek movie he'd wanted to see. The young couple was slowly rebuilding their relationship after the disaster of Hardison hacking Eliot's NSA files. The hacker had learned a painful lesson about trying to control Parker and her relationships.

The thief continued to turn to Eliot for advice. The grouchy hitter seemed to have boundless patience with the thief. Even he and Sophie avoided Parker when she was on the hunt for answers. Parker with questions didn't stop asking until she understood all the angles. When she turned confused eyes on the retrieval specialist and implied Eliot was her final hope—he folded like a bad poker hand.

Parker also continued to school Hardison about who was in control of their relationship, and that her definition of normal included trips to New York City to crawl in bed with Eliot and his partner of many years, master assassin, Clint Barton. The assassin/Avenger was brash and a perfect foil to the taciturn enforcer, and a perfect partner in crime when Parker felt bored. A part of Nate shook his head at the thought that it was okay that someone he considered family was a master thief that considered two black ops operatives her brothers.

Sophie had expressed surprise at how much Parker had settled since Eliot had been outed as still working for SHIELD and subsequently The Avengers. It also made what he was planning easier. The death of his father had caused the mastermind to rethink how far he'd come and where it was he wanted to go.

Maggie hadn't been far off the mark when she'd made the crack about him being, 'Such a Jesuit'. While he'd admitted to himself and the world he was a thief—he wanted to return to being an honest man, and he wanted to do it with Sophie.

The number one obstacle in his path was the relationship between Hardison and Eliot. Eliot's inherent nature as a protector wouldn't allow him to let anything happen to the hacker, but that didn't mean he would ever trust Hardison again—at least not in the way Nate needed.

His second obstacle was SHIELD. All things considered, Fury had made very few demands on the Leverage crew so far, but he was like the sword of Damocles hanging over their heads with Eliot their only line of defense. Nate hated the retrieval specialist sacrificing himself to keep them from the worst of the man's machinations.

Watching Eliot play the ultimate game of chess with the Director caused Nate's control issues to have issues sitting on the side lines, but he was doing his best not to upset Eliot's game board. Right now he needed to get Hardison back in Eliot's good graces…he was going to have to pick Parker's brain for ideas. He shook his head at that thought.

Liquid crystal light caused ever changing dips and shadows across ebon skin as Hardison's fingers flew across the keys. It had taken the younger man months to get back to where Parker no longer treated him like the enemy. Now that Eliot and JARVIS had begun sharing information SHIELD or anyone else had on the Leverage team, the hacker no longer felt like a pariah. Parker wasn't inviting him on her trips to New York, but they were nearly back to the place they'd been when he'd let jealousy take over his logic.

The few times Eliot had come to Portland, one of the Avengers traveled with him. Stark would continue on to his Malibu house after dropping Eliot, Clint, and from one to all of the Initiative in Portland. When Eliot was away, JARVIS jealously protected his charges from Hardison's webcrawlers, though Parker always knew where to find them.

Eliot would come to _**The Brew Pub**_ for their planning sessions, but refused to go into the restaurant. Alec finally understood how much he'd hurt the man when he undermined him with the staff. He rubbed his ribs in painful memory of Parker reinforcing that understanding as she'd jabbed her point home…repeatedly.

Hardison quickly pulled the last few pieces of information together about Charles Dodgson III. He wanted everything ready to go when the team got to the office. He wanted this briefing over fast. He wanted to spend time with Eliot—just the two of them. The hacker was sure JARVIS went everywhere with the man—Stark's AI had placed Eliot just below Stark, Pepper Potts and War Machine on its list of priorities, and Hardison wanted to get back on solid ground before he was pulled away from Portland again.

Frustration became Hardison's best friend while they set up the warehouse for Dodgson's dreamscape. Every time he got a moment alone with Eliot he was on the phone. From the timbre of Eliot's growls the hacker figured it was someone from SHIELD. When they weren't working on the con, Eliot would disappear and reappear the next morning looking haggard. He finally got his chance when they were packing up the warehouse to go home.

"Hey man, got a minute?" He shuffled his feet nervously.

"Sure. What's up?" Eliot kept packing.

"I just…I…well…you see…and then…and I thought…so I couldn't…and she…"

"Did you actually have something to say? If not I need to finish this."

Hardison took a breath.

"I want to apologize for all the trouble I stirred up. I should've known nothing was going on between you and Parker."

"No problem, man." Eliot turned away.

Hardison rushed around to stand in front of Eliot.

"No, brother, you're not feeling me…for the first time I was front row…outside of a con, seat…I did…someone I care about got hurt while I was throwing a tantrum. I really hate that you don't trust me anymore. I know you've got JARVIS watching your back, but I wanted to tell you…you don't have to worry about me."

Eliot sighed. Even though he cared for the Leverage crew there were still times when he had to let go his hurt and anger for the good of the many. Besides he was going to need the hacker.

"You finally figured out you can't be jealous with Parker. She doesn't get those emotions. She doesn't care about your delicate ego...she's going to do what she wants when she wants."

"She warned me we weren't going to be normal. I just forgot and then it was like I couldn't stop."

The younger man rubbed a hand over his head nervously.

"I get it, but first it's Sophie then Nate, now you…if anyone else had betrayed me this many times they'd be dead so you're just going to have to live with the consequences."

"I hear you, man, and it won't happen again. We're going to be solid again."

Eliot gave him a hard stare before giving him a brief nod then returning to emptying the warehouse.

Something pulled Clint Barton out of his exhausted slumber. He kept his breathing steady, and his eyes closed. Focusing on his other senses he waited. Finally opening the shields around the telepathic bond he had with his lover, he realized what woke him.

Eliot was nearby.

Fury had sent him on an intel gathering mission with Coulson, preventing him from going to Portland. As was their practice, Clint had closed their bond to its minimum to keep from interfering with Eliot's job—Eliot had done the same, but now the bond had reopened as his wolf slid in behind him.

"Mornin', Darlin'." Eliot pressed kisses to the nape of Clint's neck.

"Hmmm. Home for awhile?"

"You do remember who we work for?" Eliot kept nibbling.

Clint started to squirm as Eliot continued his machinations.

"You were in Japan than Portland…Parker called and demanded I entertain her since she was hurt and you were gone..." He groaned as he continued his litany. "Oh yeah…oh gods…pressure points…cheating…then I'm trailing behind Nat and Coulson like some third wheel…Holy Fuck! Eliot!"

The sensations coming through their bond as Eliot breeched his body had Clint lost in an overload of sensations. As they moved from being two to one then tumbled back into themselves, there was barely a quick wipe down before they fell into each others' dreams.

The bed was empty when Clint woke, but the marks and aches of his body being well-used along with the open link to Eliot left him rested and eager to return the favor. A quick shower, and he made it to the kitchen in time for breakfast—even Tony is at the table since JARVIS told him Eliot was home, their regular schedule back in place.

Clint, Natasha and Phil had gathered in the living room working on reports for the last inspection tour Coulson made of SHIELD's projects across the globe when Clint felt a flash of pain and anger across their bond. Eliot stormed through the room cursing Tony Stark and all the future Starks with apologies to Pepper. Tony scrambled behind him offering to make amends by calling someone named Armando.

"Tony why are you trying to set my lover up with someone named Armando?" Clint asked.

Tony turned to so fast he nearly upended himself. For a man so graceful while wearing hundreds of pounds of armor he was surprisingly klutzy without it. Eliot said it was because the weight of the armor made the genius stop trying to move as fast as the thoughts in his head, but Clint had his doubts.

"Uh…there was a bit of any accident when Wolfman came in the lab…" Arms and hands moved and flailed as Tony talked showing he was embarrassed. "I may have been a bit startled while working, and there may have been a small laser blast that might have caused some singeing of skin and a small loss of hair…"

"WHAT!" Clint moved to follow Eliot.

"He's fine Legolas—nothing a good haircut and a little burn cream won't fix. If he'd just let me call my stylist!" Tony raised his voice as if Eliot could hear through the soundproofed walls.

"Eliot doesn't let just anyone stand behind him with sharp pointy objects." Natasha looked up from her Stark tablet.

"Oh. Then who…?" He pantomimed scissors.

"Nat usually…sometimes me if she's not in town."

Clint grinned as Eliot stormed back in the room with his hair wet and Natasha's 'kit' in hand.

"Oh."

Eliot pulled a chair from under the dining table and with a towel around his shoulders waited for the red-headed assassin.

"Be prepared to have your ass handed to you when she's finished." Eliot growled at Tony.

"I'll…uh…be in the gym getting warmed up when you're ready." Tony dashed for the safety of the elevator as Natasha stalked across the floor.

"You really need to stop playing with your prey, Spencer." Phil's tone was flat, but his blue eyes twinkled.

"Just keeping him on his toes, Agent." Eliot's grin was all teeth.

For the next few weeks life was positively domestic at the Avengers' Tower until Parker showed up with Hardison in tow. Nate had sent their youngest to New York to get Eliot for a retrieval in Washington. JARVIS, still peeved at the hacker would only allow them as far as Eliot's office.

"What happened to your hair?" Parker blurted out.

"Tony."

"Oooo. Eliot vs Iron Man. Who won?"

Eliot just arched his eyebrow.

"Silly question." She pulled Hardison into the office. "Quit being such a baby."

"Hey, Eliot." Hardison sank into the visitor's chair. "You get the file I sent?"

"Yeah, I was going over some ideas to run by you. We can go upstairs…if you behave," he eyed Parker, "and you don't touch unless invited." He glared at the hacker.

Parker gave him a sloppy salute with her 'serious' face while Hardison's eyes widen.

"Seriously? You got it."

Eliot grabbed his Stark pad and led the way to the elevator.

"JARVIS will remind you should you step out of line." Eliot warned.

Head swaying like a bobble head, Hardison was ready to agree to anything if it kept the elevator going up.

Supper was a little subdued compared to the usual chaos, but it helped lighten the atmosphere that Alec spoke the same language as Bruce and Tony. With JARVIS monitoring, Eliot relaxed out of the mayhem of the central living room while he finished studying the files on their next job.

"Why he's doing this?"

Eliot barely lifted his head from his reading. Clint left their bond open enough to know what he and Parker were doing, and with his Operation Outcome enhanced senses, heard them moving through the ceiling.

"The black king has found his black queen and is preparing to resurrect the white king." Eliot answered.

"Oh." Her tone sounded…insecure.

She dropped into his lap.

"Dammit, Parker." Eliot growled quietly.

"Is he throwing us away?"

"Absolutely not." He settled the lithe blonde in his arms. "Parker, are we a good team?" His eyes slanted toward Hardison.

"The best." She fiddled with the buttons on his shirt.

"Are you ready to stop?"

"No." She pouted.

"Nate and Sophie are, but we're still a team, and a family. They'll probably travel for a while than settle down and have little grifters and masterminds."

"And we can teach them things." Parker brightened.

"You can be crazy Aunt Parker."

"I like it." She smiled and hopped off his lap to wander over to where Hardison was playing video games.

"Everything okay, Fenrir?" Tony's face flashed on his tablet.

"Growing pains." Eliot answered.

"Anything else?"

"Some place where you and I can talk…alone."

Reading the question in Eliot's eyes, Tony's eyes turned serious.

"Get in the elevator. JARVIS will deliver you to me."

 **_*Clint, keep the kids occupied for a while?*_ **

**_*Can I eavesdrop?*_**

Eliot could hear the smirk in his thoughts. Debating on letting Clint in on his bare bones plan—Eliot took a leap of faith.

 **_*If you want. We can talk after.*_ **

**_*You're sounding awful James Bond there, Lover.*_ **

**_*Bond's a pussy. He has to have toys to get the job done.*_**

Still in the ceiling, Clint clamped his hand over his mouth to keep from laughing out loud. He lowered himself to the floor by the elevator, and grabbed a quick kiss as Eliot walked by.

After dropping for several minutes, the elevator stopped, and sensitive ears picked up the sounds of a heavy door opening. The elevator continued down. When Eliot stepped out of the elevator, Tony stood with his arms spread, a beer in each hand.

"Eliot Spencer, meet a small part of JARVIS."

He handed Eliot a beer as the SHIELD liaison starred at the cavernous room.

"Pleasure."

"Likewise, Master Eliot." The AI intoned.

"No long ears of Avengers, scientists, assistants or SHIELD can penetrate down here." Tony assured him. "So step into my office, Akela, and tell me what's on your devious mind."

"First thing you have to promise is no one and I mean not Pepper and especially not Rhodey can know about this until I give the word."

"You want me to make a promise of secrecy before telling what you're pulling me into?"

"Yes."

Sharp brown eyes studied the mercenary carefully. He'd read SHIELD's file on Eliot Spencer—hell, he'd read all the files he could find on Eliot Spencer, but not a damn one of them prepared him for the Eliot Spencer he saw every day.

"Fine. I promise. Not a word."

Eliot gave Stark a long look—making Tony twitch though he tried to act unaffected. Finally satisfied with whatever he saw, Eliot started to talk.

"Here's what I want to happen…"

Pulling out his phone, Eliot had started a text to Clint when his phone rang with a number he'd hoped to never see again.

"How'd you get this number Riley?"Eliot growled.

 _"A hitter like you comes back to DC and buzz, buzz, buzz."_ The broker sang.

"What do you want?"

 _"Got a job for you. Right here in town. Got to be done this morning."_

"I don't do that anymore."

"So the rumors are true, dammit. It's like Picasso throwing away his paintbrush. Later than."

Eliot jammed the phone in his pocket.

"That's that thing…that thing you don't do anymore." Parker looked wary.

"No…no I don't."

Eliot refused to look at the younger couple. The lie burned on his tongue. The only thing keeping the guilt at bay was that the lives he'd traded Fury were people that could hurt his Leverage family.

"So we just keep walking?" Hardison and Parker moved past him.

"Thing is…just 'cause I'm not doing it doesn't mean it's not gettin' done."

"So you're saying someone somewhere…" Hardison asked.

The look on Eliot's face answered his question.

Hardison leaned his head back against the Quinjet's padded seat. Parker was in the co-pilot's seat pestering Clint with questions while Eliot stretched out across the seats opposite him.

He was mentally and physically exhausted from running the length and breadth of Washington, DC, to stop Udall from releasing the Spanish influenza while Vance snapped at their heels like a frenetic Border collie, and Parker scared ten years off his life. Eliot demanded and bullied until all Hardison could do was whatever Eliot told him. As the paramedic treated his gunshot wounds, Eliot's glare kept them in the shadows and away from Vance as the Colonel badgered Eliot to come back to work for him.

All the while finishing his debrief until he lost patience with both Vance and the EMT. As he walked away, Alec had barely gotten Eliot's arm over his shoulder before Barton was there to take Eliot's weight and herded them to the Quinjet. Parker and Clint's voices were soothing sounds of safety against the white noise of the jet's engines, and Hardison's eyelids began to droop until he heard Barton talking to ground control. They weren't going to New York—they were headed back to Portland.

Flailing until he finally got out of his safety harness, the hacker tried to be quiet, but he saw a sliver of blue-grey as Eliot checked on everyone before determining it was okay to go back to sleep. He grabbed the hand hold as he leaned his head in the cockpit.

"You're flying us to Portland?" Hardison asked.

Clint shrugged.

"We've got all your gear—no reason to fly commercial when I can get you there in half the time."

"You don't like us…me…why would you fly us home."

"I have ulterior motives." Barton looked past him to Eliot. "It keeps Eliot away from Fury for a couple days, and gives him a chance to heal."

"A COUPLE DAYS! He was shot … Twice." Hardison quickly lowered his voice hoping Eliot didn't hear.

Clint and Parker's frowns along with the low growl from Eliot as he sat up, was a testament to his failure.

"Must be nice to have selective memory." Eliot jabbed at the hacker. "You remember the files that got me shot and nearly killed by the NSA … Escaped science experiment. Sliced, diced, spliced and duct taped together chromosomes trying to invent the next Captain America."

Eliot ducked into the back in search of water before Hardison could formulate a response. He could feel the anger from the couple in the cockpit so he retreated to his seat and pulled out his StarkTECH pad, and began double checking that they'd left no traces in DC.

Leaving Agent Sitwell to handle the liaison's office for a few days, Clint took full advantage of having Eliot's undivided attention. While the two men relaxed in Eliot's rooms over **_The Brew Pub_**. Clint intended to take full advantage of the fact that Eliot was going to have to lay back and let someone else do all the work.

His expression was smug as he lowered himself on Eliot's hard twitching cock. Eliot moaned as the archer finally settled in his lap ... Allowing his body to adjust. Bending down to grab a kiss before he started to move, Clint fought for control of his body when Eliot fully opened their mental link. **_Heatlustlovedesireperfect_** flashed through his brain as his body ignored his brain and moved to fulfill all the emotions Eliot was feeding him.

"Son of a bitch. Warn a fella next time." Clint panted against Eliot's chest.

Eliot was wearing a smug expression as he ran his hands over the sweat covered body … Soothing the aftershocks of their orgasms.

"Not the first time we've done that." Eliot smirked.

"No, but with your … SHIT!"

Clint forced his body to move, checking that Eliot hadn't pulled any stitches or caused the two gunshot wounds to bleed.

"Easy, Hawk. Genetically engineered healing factor … Remember?" He grabbed a handful of hair and pulled.

Sprawling back across the broad chest, Clint let out the breath he'd been holding.

"Not used to you being hurt. Enhanced or not, you're not Iron Man so stop using your body as a shield."

"Just the way things worked out. We got the bad guys, our favorite one-eyed bastard stole Udall from under Vance's nose, and all's right with the world." Eliot continued to run his fingers through Clint's short sandy scruff.

Clint continued to grumble as he drifted to sleep. Eliot shifted them to reach the wipes on the nightstand and cleaned them off enough to keep from being stuck together. Frowning at the archer's exhaustion, Eliot silently cursed Fury running the two Avengers still contracted to SHIELD into the ground.

Awaken by his usual round of nightmares Eliot used Clint's solid bulk on his chest to ground him as he ran through his agenda for the day.

Under the cover of a plant inspection, Tony and Pepper would soon be landing in Portland. Parker would keep Clint occupied, so he could slip away without the archer wanting to tag along, and while Pepper was busy being CEO, Tony was supposed slip out to his safe house, then later, he and Clint would, as representatives of SHIELD and the Avengers have dinner with the members of the Stark Industries' Board before the power couple flew back to New York.

Years of watching Hardison made Eliot acutely aware of how easy it was for SHIELD to track and listen into conversations. Using his jacked precognition and with JARVIS scanning the city, he'd set up a safe house where people go in, but nothing comes out that's not controlled by Eliot and the AI.

Everything settled in his mind, Eliot slid down into the mound of pillows and covers that was Clint, and set his internal clock to wake him in two hours.

For a man who'd survived being kidnapped by The Ten Rings, and had flown a nuke into another dimension, Tony Stark could feel fear clawing at his insides. The car Spencer had provided him was non-descript, but the engine purred and would handle whatever the driver demanded. Glancing out the corner of his eye, his passenger seemed calm, cool and collected. He envied that calm. He rubbed his sweaty hands on his jeans leg then pulled his hat down further. JARVIS had assured him that he had mapped the route with Spencer so all the traffic cams would see was typical traffic flow.

"Tony, relax. JARVIS and Eliot won't let anything happen to us, we're fine." The conviction in Pepper's voice settled the butterflies trying to escape his stomach.

"It's Eliot I'm afraid of … He made me promise not to tell you … Then I ordered JARVIS not to tell him I told you … And we know bad things happen when you surprise people like him. We're putting a lot at stake playing Agent Wolf's game with Fury." Tony mumbled.

"He's putting the lives of his family on the line." She reminded. "He ran everything through JARVIS so the only thing we don't know is what he's carrying in his head."

"SHIELD has telepaths."

"We have the Science Bros and Clint."

"Fury has the weight of the WSC."

"I'm sure Eliot has files that would make them roll over and whimper."

"I'm being whiny about this, aren't I?"

"Little bit." Pepper gave him a bright smile.

"Turn here, Sir." JARVIS' voice came from Tony's phone.

"But …"

A door barely big enough for the car opened and closed quickly behind them. Eliot stood in the doorway of a structure built inside the warehouse.

"This is my kind of hideout." Tony proclaimed.

Then he saw the bank of computers and the kitchen area. He assumed the stairs led to sleeping quarters. When he looked at Eliot, the agent's glare was absolute zero at Pepper's presence.

"I already had it built, JARVIS helped with the StarkTECH, and testing against thermal scans, satellites, and such. I could have sworn you promised NOT to tell Pepper. Should I expect Colonel Rhodes to come knocking with Fury behind him?" Eliot sneered as he gave them each a cup of coffee.

Tony was saved from answering by Pepper. God, he loved her.

"Tony was being twitchier than normal so I applied the proper pressure in the proper crack. He fell apart flawlessly." Pepper gave Tony a fond smile. "He only does that for me."

Tony was moving from monitor to monitor.

"JARVIS, you sneaky AI you." Tony grinned as he turned to Pepper. "Our little boy is all grown up."

Pepper rolled her eyes but her heart swelled at the light shining in those brown eyes. She loved this man dearly, and it was making the decision she was considering as painful to her as it would be for him. She didn't need Eliot's precognition to tell her Tony's reaction, but she felt better knowing The Avengers would be there to support him. All they had to do was get through this insane plan of Eliot's.

"JARVIS, pull up the 'Ragnarok' file, please … Thank you." Eliot asked.

He threw the file out where they could all see it. Tony pointed to a screen.

"Contractually, Pepper and I came up with enough paper to choke a small country. R & D, consulting, tech, weapons and armor … With Hammer Tech down the toilet, IronTECH, StarkTECH, and Stark Industries are supplying damn near everything SHIELD uses in the field and in their labs … Hell, there's not much on the _'Flying Dutchman'_ that isn't connected to SI."

"What we propose," Pepper took up the explanation, "is a trade. The Avengers and two support teams of our choosing—for the things SI does for SHIELD for a period two years. In those two years we—we being you, Clint, Natasha and Phil, train our own support teams, SHIELD then comes to SI like any other customer. The Avengers become a standalone entity with a network of support for clean-up and repair liaising with whoever is in charge of whatever gets damaged."

"Now, we'll need a way to support all this. If we roll _Leverage Associates_ into a partnership, we can use the alternative income streams Hardison is always coming up with to help finance the operation."Eliot finished.

"Will your guys go for that?" Tony asked.

"Truthfully, every time Nate opens his mouth I expect him to say he and Sophie are retiring. If I read the signs right, he's working on some kind a grand finale. Parker's in she just doesn't know it, and Hardison goes where she goes."

"Sounds like we have a plan. When do we take it to the one-eyed king?"

"First we need to go over the contracts and suss out any traps or loopholes. I want to wait until we wrap up 'Nate's Finale' before we beard Fury in his den 'cause he's going to be breathtakingly pissed. He fights mean and dirty. Nothing will be sacrosanct that's why his hands have to be tied so he can't resurrect our expunged records or anything else he hides in his vault."

Eliot set out sandwiches and fresh coffee while they read and discussed various points in the contracts. Not only did they need to protect the two teams, but they also needed extra protection for the members who were the aftermath of experimentation.

"Tony, we need everything you can find in Howard or SHIELD's files about the beginning-who has legal rights to any to Eskine's work and the results. Same with the Outcome files … Fuck."

Eliot ran his hands through his hair.

"When did this get so fucking complicated?"

"Super soldier, giant green rage monster, genetically modified assassins … We should probably be glad Thor is a sovereign of an alien realm."

"He's right, Tony. If we get very lucky your father may have already locked out everyone but you, meaning General Ross and anyone else trying to duplicate the super soldier research is violating a whole lot of patent, intellectual property and a dozen other things." Pepper suggested.

"JARVIS?"

"Already searching, Sir."

"Let's hope it's not paper copy." Tony mumbled in his coffee cup.

Looking at his phone, Tony frowned.

"Come along, Pep. We better get back to the hotel. We have cocktail hour with the windbags on the Board before dinner."

Pepper kissed Eliot on the cheek while slipping a thumb drive into his hand.

"We'll see you and Clint at dinner."

"Yeah. Fun times." Eliot growled.

He hated representing SHIELD at these dinners.

Tony rolled his eyes as he held the car door for Pepper.

"You can terrorize the chef and his minions."

Eliot gave him a shark's smile as he opened the garage door.

The trip back to the hotel was very quiet.

Clint woke slow and easy. His sleep hadn't been deep enough that he woke disoriented, but it was restful. He supposed he should climb out of the comfort of Eliot's bed before Parker came bouncing in and leering at his naked self on the way to the shower.

After an afternoon of running Portland's rooftops, they ended back at **_The Brew Pub._ ** The blonde kept pestering him to try the chili after assuring him it was Eliot's recipe. Clint agreed. A bowl of Eliot's chili would be just right to tide him over until dinner.

"Maybe just a little … We have to have dinner with Tony, Pepper and the hotshots from SI. How'd you manage to get the recipe? Eliot never gives away his recipes." Clint sipped his beer. "He keeps them all in his head."

"Eliot didn't really give it to Hardison … More like he watched the kitchen videos while Eliot was cooking." Parker grabbed a handful of pretzels from the bowl on the bar.

Clint looked at the blonde in disbelief.

"What? Is that wrong?"

"In more ways than I can count in a lot of different languages."

Parker's look of confusion tugged at Clint's heart, but he waited until the waitress sat their food down before answering.

"Eliot was just starting to trust the kid. If he finds out Hardison stole his recipes, Eliot will never trust him again."

"That's bad."

"Very bad." Clint answered as he put a spoonful of chili in his mouth…

And prompting spit it back in the bowl.

"What the fuck is this!?"

"Eliot's chili. Did you hit your head today?"

"This is no more Eliot's chili than I'm Nick Fury." He took a gulp of beer to wash the taste out of his mouth.

"Oh. You're right. Not Eliot's. I'll have to tell Hardison the cook got it wrong." Parker agreed.

"Promise me something?" Clint put his hand over Parker's.

"Sure."

"Never call this Eliot's chili, and never tell him what Hardison did—you won't like his reaction. Is there something on here Hardison didn't steal?" He pointed at the menu.

"Yeah, but I think I'll just have a hamburger." Parker pouted.

Clint stayed and cajoled Parker until she was once again her quirky self. She was smiling when Clint went upstairs to shower and change into a suit for dinner with Stark Industries' stuffed shirts. Seeing Eliot come out of the bathroom in a cloud of steam, he cursed having to spend the evening making inane conversation instead of dragging Eliot to bed. Maybe they could slip out after dessert.

After Clint left, Parker went on a hunt for Hardison's recipe files. She wanted everyone to be friends again. Maybe she needed to beat the hacker up some more to get him to understand he was being an idiot. She was beginning to worry that Hardison was going catch her before she found the files when she saw it. A file called 'Mr. Punchy'.

Parker carefully did all the things Hardison had taught her about erasing files. She apparently was going to have to hang him off a building to get him to understand why you didn't poke a wolf with a stick.

Absolutely ready to punch someone, Eliot laid his head against the back of the couch. He cursed Phil for not being available to be the competent agent face of SHIELD at Stark's dinner. The muscles in his neck were starting to relax when the apartment door opened with a bang.

"Honey, I'm home, and I come bearing gifts." Clint sing-songed tumbling over the back of the couch into Eliot's lap.

He'd stopped at the bar before coming upstairs and grabbed a couple beers. Eliot gave him a grateful smile.

"Have fun with Parker, today?"

"We need her running the endurance training at SHIELD." Clint grumbled against his chest.

"I guess with that, the dinner and everything you're too tired to …"

Jumping to his feet, Clint pulled on his hands.

"Oh hell no."

He tugged a laughing Eliot back to their bed.

Tony and Pepper arrived at the plane shortly before Clint and Eliot. Giving them his customary smirk as a greeting, he also gave them a wink before climbing the stairs into the plane. Once in the air JARVIS assured them the plane was secure Tony directed everyone's attention to their StarkPADS, and explained what was in the files JARVIS had found.

"Anything that even hints at Eskine's formula belongs to me. Not Stark Industries or any subsidiaries—just me as the sole heir to dear old dad's estate. Eskine's will left all his research to Howard so technically Steve and Bruce are already ours … Hell, Fury could be pumped full of 'super soldier juice' so he'd belong to me, too."

Tony paused as though replaying his words.

"Ah … Never mind. That's not a happy place even for me."

The other three laughed.

"That's a relief. This seems to get more twisted at every turn." Eliot scrubbed his hands over his face.

"You want to quit?" Tony asked.

"No. I want away from SHIELD … From Fury. He's killing me one op at a time."

The other three people in the plane looked at Eliot in shock.

"What are you doing, Eliot?" Clint asked softly.

"My job."

"Eliot?" Pepper laid her hand on her arm.

"I'm protecting my crew … My family. That's my job."

Eliot stood abruptly and shut himself in the plane's bathroom.

"Son of a bitch." Clint tossed his pad on the table. "He wasn't ready to come back to this life. Fucking Loki forced Phil to call him back."

He turned to look out the window.

Tony and Pepper exchanged a look not knowing how to help either of their friends. They were all startled by Eliot's soft words.

"Not your fault, Hawk. I was going to have to come back anyway. We had a job where the CIA got their hands on one of my files. It was this or run, and I wasn't leaving you and Nat."

Tony groped for Pepper's hand as they watched the moment between the long-time lovers. Pepper squeezed back. She would always love Tony, but watching Clint and Eliot she was afraid she didn't love Tony with this type of intensity. Tony loved her as much as he was capable, but his machines sang such a siren's song that she knew she'd never have all of him. She could see the cracks forming under the stress of her being CEO and Tony's determination to throw himself into the fray at every opportunity. Stark Industries she could deal with, but she had no point of reference for dealing with Iron Man taking on aliens and megalomaniacs. Rather than becoming a whimpering pile of nerves, she was going to have to give him to people who could deal with what Tony was becoming.

Eliot hadn't said anything about the file she'd pressed into his hand. Pepper knew telling Eliot she was giving him Tony had been the epitome of … Well she wasn't sure what it was the epitome of, but she'd watch Eliot take care of ... Everyone. With the support of Clint, Phil and Natasha, the ' ** _tower of misfit toys'_** was becoming a sanctuary from the craziness that was their lives. They would take care of Tony when she couldn't.

It had been a week and Pepper was beginning to think she'd dodged the bullet by giving Eliot that thumb drive instead of being an adult and discussing her plan with him. Things had been their normal insanity at the tower with Phil and Eliot and JARVIS working to keep Tony and Bruce on a semi-normal schedule. So when Eliot stepped out of the shadows in the corner of her office, it was a snickering Natasha that caught her StarkPAD and briefcase before they hit the floor. Placing them on the desk while Pepper sputtered, she gave Eliot a peck on the cheek before closing the office door as she left.

Walking over to the sitting area, she poured them both a cup of coffee so she'd have time to pull herself together.

"I don't remember seeing your name on my calendar." Her voice sounded pinched and prim.

The thumb drive landed in her coffee.

"You try to give me Tony like he's a stray puppy and you want to act pissy?" Eliot arched an eyebrow.

"You know how to deal with all the insanity that goes with him being Iron Man … I don't … I can't … Not and run a multi-national corporation." She insisted.

"You've been doing it for five years. In fact you may be the one thing keeping him Tony Stark and not Iron Man."

"What?! Wait. You can … Have you seen …"

"I've seen a lot, and most of it not fit for human consumption, but I've watched the two of you together. He loves you with everything he's capable of giving."

"He gives a lot." She whispered more to herself than Eliot.

"He 'hides' in his workshop when you're on a trip to avoid his empty bed. He worries about you being kidnapped or worse. He sleeps occasionally when Natasha's traveling with you."

"He doesn't sleep?"

"He does, but only if we gang up on him. He won't sleep in the penthouse though."

"Where?"

"I usually find him and Clint on one of those huge ass couches in the living room 'cause I'm working with Phil and JARVIS has kicked Tony out of his workshop."

Pepper watched Eliot stalk over to the bank of windows. She could see the lines of exhaustion on his face and wondered how many of those lines were caused by her case of cold feet.

"Look I know that as a kid you didn't sit around dreaming about being CEO of Stark Industries and lover to the biggest adrenaline junkie on the planet, but this is what you chose. You're a hell of a woman, Virginia Potts, and any man would be proud to have such a warrior at his side. You've spent the last five years convincing Tony that you love him no matter the craziness. Now when things have fallen into a routine with brief interruptions by aliens, idiots, and assorted megalomaniac assholes, you want out."

Hard blue-grey eyes locked on hers.

"Next Monday at this same time, I'll be here. You will tell me that you truly want to give up Tony. Clint and I will take him, but know that if the day comes when you regret your decision you'll be shit out of luck because we will not give him back."

Without waiting for her answer, he left the office and a gap-mouthed Pepper behind. She continued to stare until the spell was broken by Natasha opening the door.

She pulled up her schedule. There was a lot to think about before next Monday. **  
**

"Eliot, Mister Ford has left a message for you to call him." JARVIS informed him as he settled behind his desk.

"Thanks, JARVIS."

Checking the time, he wondered if Nate was up early or late.

"Put a call through, please."

"Connecting."

"Nate."

"We have a job."

"How soon?"

"Wednesday."

"I'll be there."

Eliot leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. * ** _Dammit!*_** It was too soon. He didn't have everything in place to cut ties with SHIELD. * ** _Damn Nate his impatient ass_**.* Possibilities ran through his brain, and none of them were good. He was starting to consider a few painful stunts that would slow Nate down, but he really was not into pain plus Clint would kick his ass for his stupidity with Natasha following behind.

He was saved from his desperate thoughts by his phone. His shoulders tensed when he saw the SHIELD Director's number, but this could actually be the answer to his dilemma.

"Talk."

"You have a mission. Be on the boat in two hours for briefing." Fury barked in his ear.

Retrieving his weapons from the safe, he was considering asking Clint to fly him to the Helicarrier when the archer stuck his head in the door to announce lunch.

"I need to go to meet with Fury. Want to fly me to the carrier?"

"Sure. Coulson wanted to fly out after lunch anyway."

Clint sat at the conference table working on designs for new arrowheads he wanted to try when anger as hot as a phosphorous rolled down his link with Eliot before it disappeared. He saw several of the more 'sensitive' specialists working the command deck flinch, but gave no other sign they'd felt anything. He continued to study his StarkPAD while he prodded his link with Eliot like a sore tooth, but the man wasn't giving him a hint.

When the door opened everyone was suddenly very busy while Hill, Coulson and Eliot filed from Fury's office. He caught Eliot's eye, but a minute shake of the dark head had him closing his files.

"I'll prep the jet."

He looked to Eliot—even though Hill and Coulson held higher rank. The wave of warmth flowing through the link had him moving toward the flight deck.

"I need a moment with AD Hill before we leave."

Phil's expression was bland, but Eliot saw the question in his eyes.

"Of course."

Eliot followed Clint ignoring the twinge of conscious, but Phil had to be kept out of the loop. It didn't matter that the agents considered Coulson family—he was SHIELD to the bone, and would not hesitate to go to Fury with anything he learned.

Settling in the co-pilot's seat after grabbing a quick kiss from Clint, Eliot leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

Sparing a quick glance from his pre-flight, Clint worried over the signs of stress he was seeing in his wolf. He mentally urged Coulson to hurry his ass up so he could get Eliot to the privacy of their rooms.

"Don't fuss, Tawodi." Eliot murmured.

"Wahya…"

Clint snapped his mouth shut when he heard Phil's feet hit the ramp. If Eliot was resorting to speaking Cherokee then the pressure was building. Coulson spoke a lot of languages—Cherokee was not one of them, but SHIELD had translators who did. One word told Hawkeye there would be very little communication not pertaining to SHIELD business while they were where it could be monitored by someone other than JARVIS.

It was a silent trip back to the city.

Eliot stayed with Clint until the Quinjet was secured asking JARVIS for Tony and Pepper to meet them in Tony's workshop.

"What's got your tail in a twist, Asena?" Tony teased.

"You're going with Pepper on her inspection tour."

"I'm what?"

"Take your Iron Man photo op suit."

The smirk fell off the billionaire's face.

"What's Fury doing, Spencer?"

"Pushing … Testing … He's trying to get a peek at Nate's long game to get 'his' crew away from SHIELD."

"Ford's running a long con?" Clint asked.

"No, but we are. Nate's working on his and Sophie's retirement, which makes for a good diversion. You'll have quite the posse for your world tour of Stark Industries facilities. Clint, Natasha and I are security for the king and queen of multi-national corporations. Phil is going as SHIELD's eyes and ears looking for signs of mutiny. While you're holding court with all the ass kissing sycophants, the one-eyed king wants Parker, Hardison and I looking for something to give him leverage with his bucket list of people he wants dancing to SHIELD's fiddler."

"What kind of bucket list?" Pepper looked pale under her freckles.

"Sources for any and everything he needs to make SHIELD self-sustaining. What good is a king without a kingdom?" He muttered.

"Won't the Council blow his kingdom out of the sky?" Tony asked.

Clint and Eliot both shook their heads.

"I'm not sure if it's a good or bad thing, but you can't get more than two or three of them to agree on any one thing at any one time. Plus Fury's inherited two or three generations of blackmail material from Daddy dearest." Clint added.

"Talk about playing the long game." Tony snarked.

"It's one thing to be the puppet master of the known world. Throw in the appearance of Asgardians and assorted aliens and it's three dimensional chess." Eliot rubbed his hands over his face.

"What about Natasha and Phil?" Pepper asked.

Pain flashed across the handsome faces.

"We love them, but we don't want to make them choose. We'll keep Phil out of the loop, completely I hope, because he's definitely AGENT Coulson, and only tell Natasha the bare bones. She's too good at what she does not to pick up the smallest of clues, but we'll make it clear we don't want to compromise her."

"Does she know what's happening on this trip?" Pepper asked.

"Phil will read her in." Eliot answered. "Now I have to call Nate and tell him he has to put his plans on hold until we get back, and that I'm kidnapping Hardison and Parker."

"Who's night to cook?" Clint asked.

"Dr. Banner and Captain Rogers are preparing dinner." JARVIS informed them.

"Good. I feel the need for a shower. I'm sorry if this screwed up your plans for the week, but there are so many ways this could go bad and only a few good ones. I want to be prepared."

Eliot let Clint push him toward the door only to run into the broad back when Eliot stopped.

"Tony, if you've got some time after supper we need to talk about Hardison."

"You got it Wolfman. Just be happy Fury didn't turn it into an Avenger goodwill tour."

The assassins groaned.

"Tony!" Pepper admonished.

"What?"

"3 … 2 … 1 ..." Clint counted.

"Eliot, Director Fury is calling."

"Director."

"After giving it some thought … This would make an excellent opportunity to show off the Initiative. Better cover. AD Coulson will have the revised itinerary in the morning."

"Understood."

"Don't disappointment me, Agent Spencer."

"I'll do my best Director."

With a glare the two men continued out of the workshop. Tony turned to a frowning Pepper.

"It's not my fault." He pleaded. "Besides, it'll be good for team building and all that sort of stuff …" His voice trailed off.

"Let's go see what on the menu." Pepper shook her head as she headed up the stairs.

"Pepper?"

She knew that voice. It was Tony's epiphany voice. She turned back to where he was standing on the bottom step looking confused.

"Spencer's briefing … He was telling us … Oh … People we don't want in Fury's pocket … Should JARVIS ... Are they tracking …"

Pepper waited until Tony's rapid fire brain made all the connections.

"It's already handled?"… "Very discreetly."

"That's good then …"

"Think about Eliot's hacker instead. I know SHIELD's got hackers constantly going at JARVIS … Maybe fresh eyes could look at where you think we're vulnerable. We may need all of the protection we can muster when Eliot wins." Pepper prompted.

"You're sure he'll win?"

"Eliot's precognition vs. Fury … My money's on Eliot."

"For now … You … Thinking about what Eliot's thinking in way of limitations for Hardison."

Pepper gave her hips an extra swish as she started up the steps making Tony smile.

Relaxed and full of Bruce and Steve's excellent dinner, Pepper relaxed in one of the overstuffed chairs scattered throughout the room, feet and briefcase on the oversized ottoman, glass of wine on the end table. Across the room Tony and Eliot sat with their heads together, the rest of the Avengers were in the media corner enjoying an evening with no publicity obligations, bad guys or briefings. Music from JARVIS' speakers made a pleasant white noise for combing through departmental progress reports, requisitions, briefings on upcoming meetings ... Natasha was an organizational wonder.

That stray thought broke her concentration and had her looking around the room. Phil was discussing mission files with Steve. Natasha leaned against Bruce, who continued to read, while Clint painted her toenails and debated medieval weaponry with Thor. Tony had moved inside Eliot's personal space, the two dark heads so close it was hard to tell them apart. Knowing Tony's reticence for touching, Pepper was surprised to see the genius practically breathing the same air as the retrieval specialist.

Her earlier conversation with Eliot reared its head along with a surge of jealousy. Using gentle touches, Eliot had coaxed Tony into his personal space. Pepper was sure Eliot was aware of everything happening in the room while giving the older man his complete attention. Anxiety followed the stab of jealousy. At the rate Eliot was gentling Tony to his touch, there would be no need for her to give Tony away … He would soon be seeking out the two SHIELD agents on his own.

Guilt pricked her conscious. She had been happy for Tony's developing friendship with the other Avengers until the anxiety attacks she experienced over the possibility of Tony dying on a daily basis became unacceptable, and decided Eliot and Clint would make the best caretakers. Her mental gymnastics were interrupted by Tony calling her name.

When she got in arm's reach, she was pulled down in his lap. Wrapping an arm around her waist, Tony showed Pepper the parameters they arranged with JARVIS for allowing Hardison to work with the AI. The bland expression on Eliot's face told Pepper absolutely nothing.

Eliot watched Tony herd Pepper over to the long sofa in front of the television and pulled the strawberry blonde down into the man-eating couch and wrapped around her as tight as he could. Though people didn't equate the name Tony Stark with someone who was especially observant … You didn't survive kidnapping attempts and corporate sharks without being situationally aware.

Tony had given him several raised eyebrows at the extra touching. Keeping his voice low, Tony had bumped their foreheads together and lowered his voice to a whisper.

"You got something you want to tell me, Wolfie?"

"I'm trying to make sure everyone's protected." Eliot looked down at his StarkPAD.

"Is Pepper having a freak out?"

"This world is very different from the corporate world. In my world bleeding red cannot be fixed with an infusion of money."

"I have JARVIS and my suit."

"You have a warrior heart that makes you do heroically stupid things like flying nukes through inter-dimensional portals, and putting other people's safety above your own."

"She's giving up on me."

"Not yet. I gave her some food for thought the other day. She's still working her way through it."

Eliot interrupted him before the thoughts whirling through his scary brain could come out his mouth.

"I have some thoughts I want to share before you freak out over Pepper's freak out."

Tony started to look a little wild, but a gentle hand on the back of his neck settled him. He waited for the genius to nod.

"I know you're still doing the solo gig, and we will talk about that later, but you're also part of a group of very smart and deadly people who trust you, and who need you to trust them. We each have a specific skill set that makes us a well rounded team. If you learn to trust us like we trust you …"

Eliot's words trailed off as Tony pulled back in shock. He trusted them didn't he? His mind replayed the few missions they'd had since the Chitauri, and they'd all worked together fine until one of Steve's orders went against what he wanted to do. Tony had promptly ignored the good Captain and done what he thought was right. The problem had been that he didn't have all the information. His decisions to ignore Steve's orders had caused Eliot to break cover both times to fill the space where Tony should have been. One time protecting Natasha's blind side and another time protecting Tony from his own single-mindedness.

"Oh … Uh … Okay … I … Wow … Is there a gift for this type of thing?" He rubbed his hand through his hair making it wilder than usual.

"Just think about it. We ready to show this to Pepper so she's in the loop if JARVIS needs someone and we're not available?"

"Okay. I'm going to pay for this little epiphany the next time we spar aren't I?"

Eliot looked downright ecstatic at the thought.

Nate was staring at the plans he'd been so carefully compiling for the past year. He knew if he asked, his team would be more than happy to point out the flaws in his plan, but he wasn't ready for the reveal. He knew he was pushing … The timing was too tight, and there were still too many details to work out. He didn't know why he'd called Eliot. Actually, he did know why. He missed the enforcer. He missed his plain talk ... His eye rolls, and he missed having the bridge Eliot provided between him and Sophie with Parker and Hardison. He knew Parker missed Eliot, too. He'd see her ghosting around corners timid with them without the buffer Eliot provided.

Though their relationship was progressing, the thief had become wary, and spent a good portion of their downtime in New York. He was glad things were better between them ... The urge to close the book on this part of his life, and start anew with Sophie was a sign of his healing. Nate knew he wouldn't feel settled until he could leave the youngest of his Leverage family in a good place.

Parker never gave them details of her time at Avengers Tower. She talked about Eliot cooking, sparring with Black Widow, and running the rooftops with a little breaking and entering across New York City with Hawkeye. Stark had taken the little green robot Hardison built, installed an AI and built it up to handle Parker's rigging. The bot anchored itself where Parker needed, then coiled her ropes into its rebuilt body and took itself back to the van. Parker had threatened Hardison with losing his man bits if he so much as thought about taking the bot apart to reverse engineer Stark's handiwork.

Nate was startled out of his ruminations by the chirp of his phone.

"Yeah, Eliot."

As the mastermind listened to the timetable for The Avengers travels with Stark so he could inspect Stark Industries around the world, he could feel the knots in his stomach unravel. Now he had time for his swan song to be perfect. His attention jerked back to the gravel voice when he heard Hardison and Parker's names.

"What?"

"I need Hardison and Parker on this one. The trip's a cover for some of Fury's black bag work."

"When do you need them?"

"As soon as they can get to New York."

"You're sure about Hardison"

Nate smiled when he heard Eliot's rusty chuckle.

"I'm sure. Besides this will get them broken in for what comes after."

The older man froze.

"What comes after what?" He hedged.

"The final act of the play before you and Sophie drop the curtain and sail off into the sunset."

"Eliot …"

"It's fine, Nate. I'll take good care of the kids."

"I never had any doubts though I do worry about Hardison fitting in with the New York family."

"It's been worked out."

"I always knew you should have had my job." Nate said softly.

"I learned from the best, Man."

There was a pregnant pause.

"Just get the kids on their way."

The call ended before Nate could gather his wits enough to make a response.

Eliot put Clint and Parker in charge of the team's gear … Steve helped get it to the airport and loaded on Stark Industries' jet. Thor was going to be helping Jane get moved into the Tower, and Bruce didn't think the Other Guy would care for the crowds so he was going to help Thor. AD Coulson was handling the logistics of getting the Stark Industries Gulfstream clearance to land at SHIELD airstrips in the countries along their route. Natasha handled all the scheduling for Pepper, Tony and The Avengers.

Clint hadn't been happy about Eliot, Hardison and Parker playing the hired help. Moving their luggage and equipment from the plane to the hotel, but the three members of the Leverage team needed to stay out of The Avengers spotlight if they were to do their job.

Eliot listened to Clint's mental bitching halfway across the Atlantic. Patience wearing thin with the two bored youngsters and Clint, the enforcer began sending thoughts of relaxation and sleep to Clint. Just as the probability of throwing Parker and Hardison out the cargo hatch became 100%, JARVIS pinged his comm. Pulling out his StarkPAD, there was a file from Tony that had bumped information from SHIELD's files against those Stark considered 'friends' to Stark Industries.

Eliot's expression turned from thunderous to thoughtful. Thankfully, the majority of the lists were people that needed scrutiny, even if it was SHIELD, the remainder gave them the vast array of resources they would need when they separated from the agency. They would have to get the same treatment as the others to keep the Director's suspicions at bay. The 'bad' guys list would keep Hardison busy. Eliot kept the 'good' guys.

"Hardison, file coming at you … Start the geek thing and get building schematics to Parker ASAP. JARVIS will give assistance as needed."

"JARVIS!? Stark is letting me play with JARVIS?"

Hardison stood about to dance through the plane in geek heaven. Eliot gave the hacker a bump knocking him back in his seat.

"Stark has set parameters which are on your StarkPAD. JARVIS will remind you if you start to color outside the lines." Eliot admonished.

"Still …" Dark eyes danced as his fingers flew over the touch screen.

With Parker and Hardison settled, Eliot turned back to his own logistics nightmare. While The Avengers and the Stark team would be working from a London base, the Leverage crew would be working four sites in Ireland, England and Scotland. He could use Natasha and Clint for London, but it would be just the three of them for the rest. They had ten days.

"Where we going first?" Hardison asked.

"Galway, Ireland."

"Man, all our jobs should be this easy." Hardison smirked from behind his computer. "OW! Why'd you go and do that?"

His jaw snapped shut when he spun to see the Black Widow standing behind him. She growled something in Russian before moving away.

"JARVIS, old buddy, what'd she say?"

"I'm sorry. Sir does not allow me to translate THOSE words." The AI's tone was dry.

The hacker was set up in their suite while Eliot and Parker made their way out of their last target in Germany. The Leverage team had cleared Fury's list.

"What she meant was ..." Clint supplied as he started stripping off his uniform, "It's always easy when you're the one on the computer while someone else is doing the heavy lifting." He added his own slap the hacker's skull.

"Did you lie JARVIS?" Hardison asked rubbing his head.

He hoped the assassins were done. The slaps stung.

"I did not. Agent Romanoff's phraseology was much more colorful than Agent Barton's."

The silence on the comms was getting a little unnerving.

"Uh … Guys … How we doing?" He asked quietly.

There was no answer, but the next thing he saw were Clint and Natasha back in their battle gear running for the door.

"Guys?" Hardison's voice raised a notch.

"Shut up, Hardison." Clint ordered. "They're working … Plan's changed."

Fingers flew as the hacker raced through the cameras in the building. He finally found a room with several men and two women. They all looked like the type of people that would hang with Eliot. He started facial recognition while he worked to turn on the audio.

"We go in as staff… We take Stark and Rogers, get them to the chateau."

"What about the suit?"

"Knock out gas in the room takes care of The Avengers and keeps Stark from activating the suit." A blonde in form fitting black snapped.

"What about the others … They won't all be in the same suite." A man acting as leader of rough looking men asked.

"You're worried about Potts, her accountant, secretary, and some meat head she hired for security?"

Hardison had a name. Gretchen Marx, daughter of the owner, was planning something in the corporate headquarters of MarCom, their last target.

"That's not some meathead. That's Eliot Spencer."

Now another. William Dumas, French mercenary.

"You telling me you're afraid of one man?" Marx sneered.

"When it's Eliot Spencer you bet your ass I am, Chérie." Dumas snarled.

"Fine. I'll double your fee. Does that unknot your shorts?"

"This knock-out gas idea better work or we won't live to spend it."

"I have alerted Sir and Agent Coulson." JARVIS' voice startled Hardison.

Before Hardison could answer the others tumbled in the room.

"Report." Coulson snapped.

"Allow me while you continue monitoring." JARVIS told Hardison.

The suite's TV came to life.

"While Eliot and Miss Parker were reconnoitering the floors of the building searching for additional intel, they happened upon this group in the research labs of the MarCom building. They are planning to kidnap Sir and Captain Rogers, but one of the mercenaries recognized Eliot."

"Why us?" Steve asked.

"Super soldier serum." Hardison and Tony said together.

"Marx is going behind Daddy's back to try and get in good with the Russians and something called _The Red Room_. Dumas is balking at going up against Eliot." Hardison added.

Coulson grabbed his phone and called Fury.

"Where are Agents Barton and Romanoff?" He asked.

"They ran outta here fifteen minutes ago. Best guess ... JARVIS contacted them." Hardison didn't look up from his computer.

The others exchanged a look. If the hacker didn't know about Clint and Eliot's telepathic link, they weren't going to tell him.

"Get packed. I've got the address of a SHIELD safe house." Coulson finished his call to Fury and dialed another.

"I think not." Tony sneered. "JARVIS lock down this floor. No one in or out that you can't ID with facial recognition or isn't vetted by Agent."

"Certainly, Sir." The AI answered.

"Stark …" Phil stated.

"I'm not leaving five-star luxury for a SHIELD safe house. Put your little minions on the stairs and elevators … Whatever. We're only here two more days."

"Tony's right, Phil. We still run a multi-national company. We can't run to SHIELD every time someone has a temper tantrum." Pepper reminded.

"Very well." Phil glared as he changed his orders.

Nick Fury leaned back in his chair. Life couldn't be better. The reports and information Spencer was sending him were already reaping benefits, and the call from Coulson about a kidnapping plot against Stark put MarCom right where he wanted them, and would give SHIELD a gold star with Stark Industries' board of directors. With all his pieces on the board and poised to put in play, he needed to flex his muscles … Send a reminder to his subjects of who was in charge. He picked up the phone.

"Nate … Nick Fury … I have a situation. With everyone out of the office I need you and Ms. Devereaux to accompany Dr. Banner and Thor on a mission to garner as much information as possible."

 _'Information on what ... Exactly?'  
_

"Thor will be acting as your security and Dr. Banner will be your expert since he has the knowledge to ascertain the information's authenticity. Apprise me of when you'll be at the New York SHIELD offices, and I'll set things in motion."

Taking a sip of the expensive single malt, Fury took the time to savor the taste of the aged liquor. His enemies would soon be crushed under his Vibram soled boots and he would traverse his kingdom in his flying fortress. Being the king was getting better every day.

Leaning back in his chair, he began to plan how to best place his two teams. Coulson would bring him Black Widow, but he would probably have to put down the Wolf and his Hawk. He could not have wild cards that would incite insurrection … Romanoff would be perfect for the job. Coulson's safety would properly motivate her. In his arrogance, the one-eyed king did not see the teal colored eyes nor hear the whir of the camera that watched and waited.

Eliot preceded Parker through the duct work. They had the files they needed, but JARVIS had alerted him to activity in another part of the building that warranted their attention. Since they were making their exit from the roof, he wanted to find out what was happening. Two floors from the top of the building sharp ears caught voices coming from the vent opening. He signaled Parker for silence so they could listen while JARVIS kept them apprised of the situation at the hotel.

Satisfied they had all the information they needed, they continued their climb to the roof.

When they dropped off the zip-line, Clint and Natasha were waiting.

"What's the plan?" Clint asked.

"Natasha and Parker will get the hard copies and computer files to the hotel while you and I go visit an old friend."Eliot gave them a grim smile.

"I …" Parker started before she caught Eliot's eye.

"The Director needs those files ASAP, so Tony and Hardison need to prepare them for secure transmission."

Taking in Parker's mutinous expression, Eliot dropped his voice and stepped between the two women.

"We need to stay on the count to get everyone safe. Dumas is a reasonable man … And if not it'll be a good workout for me and Clint."

"Okay, but you have to let JARVIS film it so I watch it later." Parker brightened.

"There's still something wrong with you." Eliot said fondly as he kissed her forehead. "Go with Nat."

"Last one to hotel is getting old!" She crowed as she ran and jumped onto the building next to MarCom.

 **"WOO-HOO!"**

Natasha glared at the laughing men before taking off after Parker.

"Hardison, you find where Dumas is staying?" Eliot asked.

"Sending the address now." The hacker answered.

An hour later, a hotel room door opened with six men voicing their complaints to the seventh. They stopped inside the door when the light revealed someone in their suite.

"Hello, Boys." The Wolf and his Hawk smiled.

"Well?!" Tony demanded when Eliot and Clint entered the suite.

"Dumas was extremely reasonable once I pointed out that he could continue his job for Gretchen Marx and die or take the money she'd already paid him and go home."

"Seriously?" Hardison asked. "What kind of mercenary does that?"

"On that lives to take another job." Clint answered.

"You might want to insist Marx's daughter be at your meeting tomorrow." Phil suggested.

A hard glint entered brown eyes.

"Pepper! Do we need MarCom or can we burn it down?" The genius went to track down his CEO.

Clint started to pull his partner to their room when Phil's voice brought them up short.

"We should debrief so I can get the paperwork to SHIELD."

Clint felt Eliot stiffen before he answered.

"Certainly, Assistant Director Coulson. Whatever makes everyone else's life easier. Sleep is highly overrated after all."

Everyone froze at the growl in the retrieval specialist's voice. A pink tint flushed Coulson's cheeks as Clint glared at his former handler.

"Hardison, make sure Parker eats and gets some rest." Clint gave the younger man a stern look.

"You got it, man." He answered quietly.

"I …" Phil looked at the Clint and Alec.

"Coulson! We doing this?" Eliot snapped from where he moved to the dining area of the suite.

Stiffening his spine, Phil turned away from the younger men feeling out of the loop. The easy friendship he had with Eliot, Clint and Tony had become strained. He knew, because of their skill set, the Director would often task Eliot and Clint with jobs off the books. Even with his new status as Assistant Director of Special Projects and Operations, there were still things that AD Hill would barely hint at because she was always on guard for Fury making an appearance.

Phil himself didn't like the changes he was seeing in Nick, and speculated on whether the cause was personal or political. He looked at the exhaustion written on Eliot's face and body as he waited and wondered if being out of the loop might be a good thing.

Walking into the conference room At MarCom the next morning, Tony, Pepper and Eliot were met with the sight of Nate, Sophie, Thor and Bruce. Eliot sent a quick thought to Clint, Hardison was soon hacked into their ear buds while shutting out the SHIELD agents in the surveillance van.

"What the fuck, Nate?" Eliot asked under the cover of Tony and Pepper settling at the table.

The mastermind shrugged.

"Fury?"

The question got him a brief nod.

"Sitwell, your babysitter?"

Another nod.

"Things happened last night so this is Stark's show. Stay frosty, act shocked and outraged." Eliot warned.

That got him a brief nod from Nate and Sophie.

Before any more could be said Peter Marx sailed into the room with daughter Gretchen behind him smiling like the perfect corporate hostess.

"Ms. Potts … Tony, my old friend, how are you?" The man seemed genuinely happy to see them.

"I'm good … Aren't I good?"

He looked at Pepper who rolled her eyes.

"I hope you don't mind, but there are some people who are very interested in investing, but they wanted to meet our number one client before putting forward any of their assets." He turned toward Nate and Sophie.

"That's not something you're going to have to worry about, Peter." Tony's voice turned cold.

"What … What do you mean?" The man looked confused.

"MarCom is being taken over by Stark Industries, and for a very reasonable price I might add. We are giving him a good price?" He looked at Pepper who nodded.

"Why? … What are you talking about?"

Eliot shut the conference room door.

"Information has come to my attention of a plot for the kidnapping of one Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, that's me, and one Steve Rogers, or Capsicle, as we affectionately call him. Now, the perpetrator of this little plot is someone here in this room."

They all watched as Peter Marx looked at Nate, Sophie, Thor and Bruce.

"Mr. Marx, we were given to understand that yours was a reputable company." Sophie stood, adding to the confusion.

She turned to Nate, Thor, and Bruce.

"We will not have our investors' reputation sullied by this sort of scandal." She grabbed her bag and started for the door.

"Wait!" Marx shouted causing Thor to step between him and Sophie. "What if they're the ones that planned the kidnapping?"

"I'm afraid they're not involved. Just your daughter and her Barbie doll body guard." Tony stated flatly.

Eliot shuffled them out the door.

"Happy's downstairs. He'll take you to your hotel then bring you back to us."

Marx looked at his daughter with shock.

"You did what!?"

'Yeah, seems she was going to sell us the Russians." Tony plopped in a chair and threw his feet on the table. "In return for me not turning all my lovely evidence over to Interpol, I'm taking your company and you and your little dim bulb offspring will toddle off into the sunset with enough money to be comfortable if you invest wisely."

"You can't do that!" Gretchen Marx screeched.

Brown eyes narrowed.

"Hey Fenrir, what's the name of the guy you know at Interpol?" Tony pulled out his phone.

"Sterling … James Sterling. He loves publicity." Eliot answered.

"This should give his career a boost … Daughter of rich industrialist taking the 'perp walk' on conspiracy to commit kidnapping of two of the world's beloved icons ..."

"WAIT!"Marx cried out. "Wait." He looked at his daughter. "Did you do this thing?" he asked sadly.

"Yes, Papa, but ..." Her tone was petulant.

"Where are your papers?" He looked at Tony.

"The Russians would have given me enough money that we wouldn't need to anyone else." She argued.

"Enough! You have done enough." Marx's voice was cold.

"Ms. Potts, I believe this is your bailiwick." Tony's feet hit the floor. "The takeover team will be here …"

"In two days, but we can start immediately if you'd like." Pepper answered.

"No, two days will give me time ..."

The room fell silent as the robust man who walked in the room, brokenly signed away his life's work. As Eliot herded everyone from the room, Tony stopped at the door.

"Get your house in order, Peter and maybe something … Else could be arranged."

Once they were at the hotel, Nate and Sophie ambushed Eliot. Coulson had left the suite to take Sitwell's call.

"What's going on?"

Eliot and Clint looked at Natasha. She had been their lover and partner for years, but her heart was now with Assistant Director Coulson. They would not ask her to betray that by involving herself with their plan … There was also the matter of word getting back to Fury if she told Coulson.

"I will do this, but I will protect what is mine." She stated simply.

With acknowledgement of her position, Eliot started his explanation.

"Fury's putting the pieces in place for his endgame."

"Which is … ?" Sophie asked.

"Getting in a position where the World Security Council dances to his tune."

"What's his plan?"

"He's using me, Parker and Hardison to gather blackmail material on the Council … The usual stuff. Then something will happen to take us out of play until he has control then we'll be 'rescued' and brought back into the fold unless we're seen as too much of a liability. He'll use Phil to keep the Black Widow in line."

It took a few minutes to get Thor to settle when he heard of Fury's duplicity.

"Asgard will not align itself with one such as he."

"No worries, Fabio, Wolfman has a plan." Tony injected.

Eliot frowned at the grinning genius when all eyes turned back to him.

"Which we'll talk about later. If the probabilities play out, Fury will want Phil to fly back with Jasper. Pepper, are you staying to oversee the takeover of MarCom?"

"Is that the safest place?" Tony asked quickly.

Eliot nodded.

"She's staying."

"Tony …"

His face got hard.

"You're in enough danger as it is. We see this and we're prepared. I need you to be safe." He squeezed her hand. "Are we leaving Agent and Sitwell here?" He asked Eliot.

"It would keep them out of the fallout."

"JARVIS, inform the Agents that I request they stay with Pepper due to the possibility of retaliation from _The Red Room_."

"As you wish, Sir."

"Natasha?" Eliot asked.

"Since Pepper will have Coulson and Sitwell, I will stay with you."

It took only moments for a reply from the Agents.

"They are amendable to your request." The AI informed them.

With Pepper's nod of agreement, the billionaire relaxed.

"I love you best." He whispered.

Her heart clenched at his words, her plan to give him up retreating to the back of her mind.

Their conversation stopped when AD Coulson returned to the suite.

Room service had cleared the remains of their evening meal leaving the two teams to get to serious planning. Tony sent Pepper to their room so she could truthfully say she didn't know anything. A final look to the Black Widow giving her one last chance to walk away was met with a stubborn frown.

Not wanting to alert Fury by using any of the aliases Hardison had established for the Leverage crew, Eliot pulled out one that he'd established before SHIELD.

"First thing we'll need are clean ID's." Nate looked around the table.

"We can't use anything I've already made … SHIELD probably has them all flagged." Hardison's tone was mournful.

"Not a problem." Eliot didn't look up from his StarkPAD.

He looked up when Clint returned from their bedroom with a backpack, and started handing out envelopes.

Here's what we're going to do…"

Eliot gave them the bare bones of his plan, so when AD Coulson returned to the suite after checking security on their floor, the two teams were in the process of sorting out sleeping arrangements.

Phil pulled the younger man off to the side.

"Jasper and I are going to stay here with Pepper. The Russians will not be happy at having their plans thwarted." He tapped the screen on his StarkPAD. "I know you can get the team through this last appearance in Rome and back to the States without any international incidents."

"Parker gave me a tazer she conned Tony into upgrading." He grinned at the older man.

"Excellent strategy." Phil's shoulders relaxed to a more natural line. "Take care of Natasha for me."

"You know I will." Eliot's tone was soothing. "Now you better get to bed before she comes looking."

Phil chuckled. "Good night, Eliot … Good luck."

Landing in Rome, Tony sent his plane back to Germany. Their equipment had been settled into normal luggage so there were no raised eyebrows as Eliot checked them into the hotel.

The Leverage team had scattered at the airport. By the time Eliot got to Portland, the final details would be in place for their last job with Nate and Sophie. He pulled Clint tight against his chest causing the archer to grumble. He sent soothing emotions through their bond, settling Clint into a deeper sleep.

Forcing his mind quiet so he could sleep, Eliot knew the curtain was going up on the final act of Fury's power play. The heroes would ride off into the sunset or he would be dead.

"Hill!" Fury shouted.

"Sir."

"Where's Spencer and the team?"

"On their way to Rome, Sir."

"What do we hear from Coulson?"

"Helping Ms. Potts with the takeover of MarCom."

"Did Agent Romanoff stay with them?"

"No, Sir. She traveled on with the others."

"The Leverage team?"

"Last known location is Rome."

"Let me know when they leave Rome."

"Yes, Sir."

Hill watched Fury move to look out bridge's windows wondering why he was keeping such close tabs on the two teams. Other than assigning missions he had allowed Leverage and The Avengers to be fairly autonomous. Agents Romanoff and Barton had been excellent support to Spencer and Coulson so to be putting eyes on them made her suspicious.

"Hill! What's our present position?"

"Halfway between Hawaii and Japan, Sir. We're keeping eyes on the North Koreans."

She saw the clenching of the jaw, the rubbing his temple by the eye patch. For not the first time, Hill wondered if she could convince the Director to go to Medical. A glare from when he caught her watching him answered her question. Sighing quietly, she moved back to her work station.

The Avengers appearance in Rome was a horrendous success. The crowds were huge, but everyone went away happy while six exhausted people finally got to return to their hotel. After everyone had bedded down for the night, Eliot started to slip out of Clint's hold when the gray-green eyes blinked owlishly.

"Wolf?"

"Back to sleep, Hawk. You'll see me shortly on the boat."

"'k." He took the pillow Eliot slipped into his arms.

Moving to the bathroom to dress, he'd just clicked off the light when a sleepy growl came from the bed.

"This grand plan of yours better not have the hero of the piece dying in the last act."

"That's never my intention. Sometimes the plan comes together a lot different than what it looked like on paper."

Eliot bent down for a slow sleepy kiss.

"Yeah … Well … Intentions and Hell … And all that jazz." Clint grumbled.

"Love you." Eliot straightened.

"Hey El."

"Yeah."

"What do you think happened to Nick? He didn't use to act like this."

"Wish I knew, Hawk … Wish I knew. The last couple years … Maybe we should tranq his ass and give him to Bruce or someone who can figure it out."

"So you don't think he's just gotten power hungry?"

Eliot turned toward the door without answering.

"Wolf?"

"The probability is running 50-50 between medical and natural progression of a person with near absolute power. No matter which way the scales tip the damage is done."

"What if we keep it in house, and don't involve the Council?"

"The damage is still done. I won't take that chance with everyone's lives. I want us away from SHIELD." Eliot's face turned stubborn.

He felt the calloused hand pull his shirt tail out of his pants to get to bare skin.

"We have a lot of history with Fury … Marcus … I got a second chance after Loki … Maybe something happened during the explosions I caused."

"Clint …"

"Please. This has been a good place for a lot of years."

"This place almost killed us … Me ... In case you've forgotten Budapest … Moreau … Belgrade." Eliot growled.

"We didn't get the intel in time …" Clint tried to comfort his lover.

"I sent it so there would be plenty of time." Eliot snarled. "Nick left me hanging with no back-up, no exit strategy, and the collateral damage …" He cut the words off as his breath hitched.

"If you don't want out from under SHIELD … Fine, but don't expect me or the others to stay. When Fury looks at me now all he sees is his pet Wolf. I won't be that person anymore."

Clint sat up in the bed shocked silent. He'd speculated all those times Eliot was gone on single missions that Fury was holding the team as leverage so he'd be SHIELD's good soldier. Eliot's tired voice broke him out of his thoughts.

"If we're going to keep this on the down low, I've got plans to change. Find me a bird that will get us to Portland as far under the radar as possible."

Eliot never looked back as he walked out the door. Not only was the inside of their room silent, but so was the inside of Clint's head. Eliot had closed his end of their link.

Clint finally found a Gulf Stream G550 that could make the flight to Portland without refueling. The only problem was where they had to go to get the plane. It was still dark when Eliot returned, but everyone was awake and peppering Clint with questions. The archer gave a sigh of relief when Eliot unblocked their bond.

"I already made arrangements to get to Spain. My guy said he knew of a plane there … I figure it's the same one Clint found so get dressed and grab your gear. He wants to shove off before daylight." Eliot turned toward their bedroom.

"Can you trust this guy?" Tony asked.

"Yeah. We've taken care of each other in the past." Eliot's voice was guarded.

Clint and Natasha exchanged a look. Eliot had gone underground for six months after he left Moreau. The Director had walked around pissed for days while Clint and Natasha had quietly worried if he'd come back and what his mental condition would be after the cluster fuck in Belgrade. He'd been too calm … Too controlled, but they'd been so glad to have him home that the three months it took for them to start seeing glimpses of the man who held their hearts seemed to fly by.

In an hour they were crowded in a van headed for Civitavecchio. While The Avengers were sorting themselves and their gear, Clint spun around when he felt Eliot's affection for the shaggy haired brunette he was hugging. In the pre-dawn darkness it was hard to make out features other than the hair.

"Let's not dilly-dally. I want to be gone before the harbormaster sobers up."

The rough voice carried a hint of Brooklyn, which made both Steve and Natasha stop and stare. Clint tossed Eliot his bags and they all followed the rough dressed man onto the sailing yacht.

"Everyone this is James … James everyone." Eliot introduced lazily.

"Stash your gear. Those of you that know your way around a boat can help everyone else stay out of the way." James ordered.

The near silent engine purred in the quiet of the marina. Then there was no more time for questions as they sailed for Barcelona.

Clint, Eliot and Bruce stayed on deck while Natasha found a perch and studied their 'captain'. There was not enough light in the sky for her to make out his features, but something scratched at the back of her memory … She knew this man … Knew how he moved … Knew … _ *****_ ** _chert voz'mi!*_**

"Yastreb!" She called out to Clint.

The archer moved to where the red-head perched near the rail. As he settled beside her he noticed a slight shiver. Since the temperature was mild sharp eyes looked for the trigger. The only thing out of the ordinary was the man piloting the boat.

"Ryzhiy?" His tone was soothing as he turned his hand palm up to encourage the assassin.

"I think … Steve …Clint …"She burrowed into her partner's side as though to hide.

"Tasha?"

Clint concern must have bled through their bond because when he looked up Eliot had appeared.

"It's okay, Ryzhiy, you're not imaging things. You really are seeing James Barnes."

Eliot returned to the back of the boat where he spoke low to James. Clint watched him move toward them as Natasha brought her body under control. He crouched in front of them, but didn't make any move to touch them.

"Chernaya Vdova?" He cocked his head like an inquisitive spaniel.

"Zima … Yasha … James?" She reached out and ran tentative fingers down the handsome cheek.

Blue eyes met green—"Mladshaya syestra." He whispered as she wrapped him in a hug.

Clint watched closely that the Winter Soldier did not hurt Natasha. Out of his peripheral vision he noticed Eliot had taken James' place at the wheel. Anger built in his chest at this whole situation between Fury and Eliot. His logical mind knew Eliot did the things he did to protect the people he loves, but Clint was feeling emotionally battered. Fear of moving into the unknown with The Avengers against his years with SHIELD, so many changes coming at him faster than he could process all rolled down his link with Eliot.

The only indication Eliot was affected by his lover's thoughts was the tightening of his grip on the yacht's wheel. Pulling his cap down to shadow his face, Eliot called the others to come on deck.

Tony appeared first laden down with food and drinks, one of which he handed to Eliot. Clint put himself between James and Natasha, motioning Steve to continue toward them.

"What's wrong with Natasha?" Tony frowned at Clint.

"Nothing. Just a reunion with an old acquaintance."

"How old?" Bruce asked

Before Clint could answer their attention turned at Steve's exclamation.

"Bucky!?"

"Hey, Punk."

Captain America's ass hit the deck as his knees gave out.

While the trio huddled together on the deck, the rest of the team turned on Eliot.

"How did you find the Winter Soldier and why didn't you tell SHIELD?" Clint's anger spilled into his words.

"Not everything is about SHIELD and The Director's agenda." Eliot snapped.

Clint shivered as Eliot again blocked their bond.

Tony stepped toward Eliot.

"Back off, Hawkass." Tony barked.

"What is the tale of this Winter Soldier, Wolfson?" Thor asked.

Eliot's eyes roamed the group but avoided Clint's still sparking with anger before dropping to check their heading. Just as Bruce opened his mouth to prod the retrievalist, Eliot's words started almost too low to hear.

"After the FUBAR called Operation Outcome, I had a minute to catch my breath before they shipped me to Europe to go undercover with an organization run by Damien Moreau."

"Nasty piece of work that one." Tony added.

Eliot's gaze locked on his hands.

"The abilities I got from Operation Outcome and my skill set moved me through the ranks fast until I sat at Moreau's right hand."

He looked up at Tony's gasp. Blue/grey eyes bore into brown.

"Every one of Moreau's men had blood on their hands … Innocent blood … The worse thing I ever did in my entire life I did for Damien Moreau at the behest of Nick Fury."

When Tony's gaze never faltered it was Eliot that looked away toward Thor and Bruce.

"I had no back-up and no extraction. James and I literally fell over each other and decided it was in our mutual interest to join forces. Fury liked the benefits I reaped SHIELD from that operation so he left me out in the cold to sink or swim by my own devices so long as the intel kept flowing. James and I backed each other up as needed … He traveled with me as we sought out people that could help sort out his Swiss cheese memories. His brain is as good as it's going to get unless hanging around Steve and Nat triggers more memories, and he wants to go home without becoming a pawn to some government agency."

While Eliot talked, Clint thought back to the years after Aaron Cross … Being partnered with Natasha, never getting a straight answer about Eliot until he came home after Moreau. Their home life was as settled as it would get for SHIELD agents with Eliot being sent out solo more and more until he teamed up with his Leverage crew.

"Were you … ?"

Clint's question was interrupted when he felt a metal hand wrap around the back of his neck.

"You really don't want to finish that question, Barton." Barnes growled low. "Shield brothers works just fine." He winked at Thor.

The Asgardian nodded his understanding.

"We have heard much of your exploits from your Captain." Thor offered.

Barnes laughed as he wrapped an arm around Steve's shoulders.

"Hope you only told them the ones where I saved your ass instead of vise versa."

"They already knew about the ones where I saved yours." Steve teased quietly.

"Are you coming back to the States with us?" Bruce asked.

"You betcha. Spencer might have a hell of a fight on his hands to get Fury to cut you guys lose. You can call me … Plan M." He looked at Eliot and laughed, receiving a tentative answering one from his friend.

Then there was no more time. They had reached Barcelona.

A night in a mid-range hotel to shower and sleep with Tony going through serious tech withdrawal as they only had burner phones. JARVIS was filtering information quietly to Pepper, but everyone else was on an electronic blackout.

Clint and Eliot worked seamlessly to finish pre-flight so they could bring this whole mess to its climax. Eliot had not re-opened their bond, nor had he shared Clint's bed. Hawk was beginning to worry that he'd gone too far ... Caused too much hurt for their partnership to continue. They'd made it an amazing twenty years together. Now he was letting his own fears and insecurities push his Wolf out of his life.

Bird in the air, auto-pilot engaged, Eliot stood.

Dead grey eyes looked at him.

"When this is over you can have Xavier dissolve the link."

Before Clint overcame his shock, Eliot had left the cockpit. He looked back the aisle to see Bruce admonishing Eliot. He shook his head and pushed away whatever Bruce had offered. When he pushed his way past, Clint saw the food Bruce still held in his hand. If Eliot wasn't eating ... **_Fuck_** _._ How had this gotten away from them? Did Eliot really hate Fury that much?

He was pulled out of his thoughts by an angry Winter Soldier.

"What did you do, Barton?"

"It's none of your business, Barnes."

"That's where you're wrong. I'm Spencer's first recruit for your ground support teams so Eliot not eating and sleeping is my business. He can't be compromised and pull off what he's got planned. The timing's too tight."

They stared each other down one sniper to another.

"Fury got to you." Barnes sneered. "Kept you separated from Spencer, and weakened your commitment."

"Yasha." Natasha scolded. "You should see to Eliot."

"No need. Stark's taking care of him, but I'll see if he needs a hand."

"Clint."

"No, he's right. For all that we have this telepathic bond … Been together since the Army … We've been separated more than we've been together. I don't even know what really happened with Moreau. I never asked."

"It's classified."

"Not that fucking classified if Stark's found it, and what do I think to ask? Whether he and Barnes were fucking. I know better. That's never a consideration with Eliot." Clint looked up at his partner, eyes blue with the strength of his emotions. "He shut off our link and offered to have Xavier take it out."

Natasha pulled him against her.

"Oh Yastreb, how can things get so tangled trying to do something good?"

"I think something's wrong with Nick. He never used to be like this … This brutal and Machiavellian."

"That's where you're wrong, Hawk. The only difference now is that Nick thinks he knows best how to run the world's security. He wants to be the absolute ruler over that security. It's why he wants to pull the teeth of the Council."

"They did try to nuke New York City." Clint argued.

"Those few have been handled."

Natasha gave him a thoughtful look. Coming to a decision, she grabbed the archer's cheeks between her hands.

"Do you know where Damien Moreau came from?"

Clint shook his head.

"Damien started out as a straw horse for SHIELD as a way into the world of arms dealers and big money. Then he began believing his own back story and SHIELD lost control."

Clint's eyes got round.

"Is that when they sent Eliot undercover."

"Yes. Do you know where Moreau is now?"

"Prison in San Lorenzo. The Leverage crew put him away."

"Damien Moreau is dead." The assassin stated flatly.

"Who?"

"The Director got nervous that Moreau would spill his secrets so he sent Eliot to silence him."

"All those times he disappeared …"

"Yes. Fury did this. Not the Council, not anyone other than Fury."

"Well hell."

"Yes, it has been."

"What about Phil?" Clint asked quietly worried.

"He and AD Hill will be seeing that the Director is in the best of health. Eliot has not kept us too far out of his loop."

"Good." He gave her a soft kiss. "I've really been dense about this whole thing."

Natasha gave an unladylike snort.

"For someone with your eyes you sometimes have trouble seeing."

"Good thing I have a suspicious family to help me with that failing."

She cuffed the back of his head.

"You better get him back before Tony and Pepper keep him."

"What?!"

The master assassins looked down the aisle where Tony sat between Eliot and everyone else working furiously in a sketch book they'd bought him to keep him away from his electronics. As a testament to his exhaustion, Eliot never twitched when Bruce sat down and Tony thrust the sketches under his nose.

"I see your point." He scowled at his team mates.

Eliot spelled Clint in the pilot's seat so everyone would be rested when they touched down in Portland. Still using their aliases, he left them in his surveillance proof safe house while he went to **_The Brew Pub_**.

"JARVIS, can we monitor Wolfie?"Tony reveled in having his electronics back.

"For the most part, Sir. I cannot monitor what occurs in the Highpoint Tower building. My interfacing with their Steranko system would put their plan in jeopardy."

"Do you know what they're bringing out?"

"I do not. Eliot has asked that I partition a part of my memory with a path that only he, Master Hardison and Miss Parker can access."

"You agreed to that?" Tony sounded surprised.

"I did. The information is highly volatile, and would be extremely distressing to Sir on a personal level."

"So you're protecting me by not telling me what the files contain?"

"That is correct, Sir. Though Eliot and I have an agreement that he will discuss any information that could be pertinent to your interests."

"He agreed to that?"

"Grudgingly, Sir."

"You drive a hard bargain, J."

"Thank you, Sir."

The rest of The Avengers sprawled throughout the living room to watch the Leverage team work.

Three days later a shout from Clint brought them all to the living room.

"We're coming up to the climax. Sterling just went in the building."

They had laughed at the stand-in's horrendous matinee performance of MacBeth, and Tony had cajoled JARVIS into the camera where they were keeping Nate and the parking garage.

Clint had gone silent when Sterling ranted at Nate about getting his three youngest killed. The man refused to even say Eliot's name, and had choked up when he mentioned Parker and Hardison.

"This should be prime time TV." Tony commented.

"It's kind of scary how they can manipulate people." Bruce commented.

"That's what spies and thieves do." Natasha answered. "We're better at reading people and their body language than most PhD's."

She relaxed her body and slunk across the room to straddle Bruce's lap.

"You think I'm pretty?" Her voice was breathless, her body language shy, her green eyes guileless. "Nobody ever tells me I'm pretty."

Bruce was a study on where not to put his hands so the Black Widow didn't rip them off when she stopped playing. As the room burst into laughter, Natasha stood and gave him a wink as she settled back between James and Clint.

"Thank you for the demonstration, Natasha." Bruce blushed furiously as did Steve at the display.

"I for one am glad they became good guys." Tony said. "I'll be glad when I get back to my own bed. Hey Legolas …"

Tony's question was interrupted by a glare from James and Natasha, but Clint knew he wanted to ask if he and Eliot were going their separate ways. Tired of being controlled by things that happened more than twenty years ago, Clint hardened his resolve.

"Just a rough patch … Nothing most couples don't go through when they're in a committed relationship." Clint's changeable eyes flashed a warning at the genius.

"Glad to hear it. Pepper and I are more than willing to help console the cowboy's broken heart." Tony verbally jabbed at Clint.

"How noble of you and your lady, Anthony." Thor slapped him on the back tumbling Tony from the couch.

"Yeah … Noble." Tony groaned as he pulled himself up.

The next day found The Avengers and the two youngest members of Leverage International headed for the airport.

Nick Fury, Jr. was living up to his name. He was livid that The Avengers had somehow gone off the reservation without setting off a single alarm or alert. Heads would roll. How could he operate his kingdom without his knights.

 **"HILL!"**

"Yes, Sir."

"Where's AD Coulson?"

"In route from Germany with Ms. Potts and Agent Sitwell, Sir."

"I want him here as soon as that plane hits the tarmac. Any luck finding The Avengers?"

"No, Sir."

"What about Colonel Rhodes? Has he had contact with Stark?"

"No, Sir. As a matter of fact, the War Machine armor was just sent out to check an unidentified bogey."

"Keep me posted and find my team."

"Yes, Sir."

Fury continued to grumble as AD Hill returned to her post. She sent prayers that Coulson would get here before something happened that couldn't be fixed.

They had just flown over the Colorado—Utah border when Eliot made the announcement for everyone to put on their winter gear and strap in they were about to be fired upon.

"Who fires at a civilian airplane?" Parker asked as started pulling on the gear she'd used on their job in Alaska.

"War Machine." Eliot answered.

"Rhodey! Why would Rhodey fire on us?" Tony squawked.

"Following orders, showing off, his suit not being able to pick up our radio frequency in the storm … Take your pick." Eliot said.

The snow storm over the Rockies was a blessing and a curse. Blessing because it hid their NOE flying from the ground, but a curse because the mountains combined with the storm was scrambling their radio. Eliot's precognition had kicked him in the head at the border. He started looking for a better place to crash other than Glenwood Canyon. They just entered Black Mesa when the plane shuddered.

"JARVIS! Can you get through to the suit?"

"Something has been done to the frequency of the armor, Sir. I cannot access the suit's processor."

Clint and Eliot wrestled with the controls as they tried to steer in the direction Eliot's intuition pulled him. There was no way they were making the Gunnison airport. One more hit and the avionics would be toast.

They let the jet drop into denser cloud cover hoping to lose War Machine in the storm. The jet shuddered one last time as it started to fall. The last thing anyone on the plane heard was the electronic voice of Colonel James Rhodes. "Bogey is going down in the Anthracite Range. Repeat. Bogey is going … **OH MY GOD!** It's a civilian aircraft! I repeat ... Bogey is a civilian aircraft!"

Steve and Bucky were the first to regain consciousness. Looking around, the cockpit and the fuselage seemed fairly intact. Thor was beginning to stir as was Natasha. Parker, Bruce, Hardison and Tony were still unconscious. Steve paused.

"I'll go." Bucky slipped by him.

"I …"

"I was always better at this part." He gave Steve a wink.

He found Eliot and Clint hands clasped hanging limply in their harnesses, faces bleeding from broken glass. Clint began to regain consciousness as he unbuckled their harnesses.

While he moved Clint to the back, James saw Thor gathering their packs out of the storage compartments.

"Get Clint in the rest of his gear. We're going to be hoofing it out of here."

Steve nodded as he helped Natasha sit up. By the time Thor handed him Clint's gear, the archer was fully conscious.

"Eliot?"

"Bucky's bringing him back now." Steve soothed.

Thanks to the Hulk, Bruce woke up in good shape and started assessing the others' injuries. Thor hovered close by to help. Tony had a dislocated ankle, most everyone was bruised from their seat belts … Natasha had a nasty head wound and dislocated shoulder, Parker a nasty gash on her arm, and Hardison a broken wrist and concussion that had him trying hard not to throw up.

He was putting butterfly bandages on the worst of the cuts on Clint's face when Eliot started to rouse.

"Go." Clint urged Bruce.

"Eliot."

"Yeah, Doc."

"How're feeling?"

"Like I was in a plane crash in a snow storm ... I'm functional."

He started to sit up, but paused and closed his eyes. Bruce helped him the rest of the way. Looking down he noticed blood on the floor.

"Eliot, lift your shirt."

"About that." Eliot groaned. "Something came through the back of the seat. After you patch that I need you wrap my ribs—tight, and keep it between us."

"But …"

"How much mountain experience you got, Doc?"

Bruce shook his head.

"The others, how much do you think they got?"

"Me, Clint, Parker, James, maybe Thor. We need Thor and Steve for Tony and Hardison ... Clint and James will take care of Natasha. I take care of everyone so patch me up so we can get the hell off this mountain. They can't search for us until the storm dies down."

"Wouldn't it be better to stay with the plane? It at least offers shelter from the wind."

"We're on a slope where I have no idea of the stability of the snow pack. Intuition says go before the plane slides down the mountain. So we take our chances in the storm or with an avalanche."

"I see your reasoning."

Eliot thought he and Bruce had gone unnoticed as everyone was busy layering their winter clothes and assessing their supplies. Looking up he saw Clint and Parker frowning in their direction. A shake of his head negated the questions he could see wanting to be asked. Parker turned to Clint and whispered something in his ear. It caused his frown to deepen, but he sullenly nodded his agreement.

The whining curses coming from Tony caught everyone's attention. His suitcase armor was too damaged to use, so he grudgingly stowed it in his pack.

"Listen up!" Eliot's growl cut through the chatter.

"We need to get ready to move. It's still early enough that with luck we can make it to the valley and a chance for someone to give us a ride into Gunnison, or if not find some place to shelter for the night. We're at the midway point of the storm so it should blow over by evening."

Everyone but Tony and Hardison moved to obey.

"Rhodey would have told them where we went down. Why should we leave the shelter of the plane?" Tony asked.

"Yeah, man, I don't feel so hot." Hardison rubbed his head.

Before he could answer, the metal groaned, the plane shuddered and slid before it slammed to a stop.

"Gotcha." Tony's eyes were wide.

"Parker, help Hardison, get his pack on then we're strapping him to Thor ... Steve you get Tony."

"Strap who to what?! I can walk … Why would you want to …" Hardison complained.

"Hardison! You're concussed. You're dizzy and nauseous. You want me to deal with the rash of shit I'd get from Parker if you fell off the mountain? Now quit whining and let Parker dress you."

The hacker snatched his clothes from Parker.

"Can dress my own damn self. Carry me around like a sack of flour. Ain't right …"

"HARDISON!" Eliot and Parker snarled in unison.

"Come, little brother ..." Thor boomed, "We shall have a glorious tale to tell upon our triumphant return to the Avengers' keep."

"Why doesn't Thor just fly out and get help?" Steve asked quietly as he and Bruce got him dressed around his splinted ankle.

"Under the radar … Keeping The Director distracted from Coulson and Pepper until we get back to New York. We'll be fine, Cap." Tony looked at Bruce. "How you holding up, Big Guy?"

"Surprisingly well. The Other Guy is enjoying our adventure."His tone was dry, but his eyes danced with laughter.

A half hour later they were roped together, Eliot on point then Steve, with Tony, Bruce, James, Natasha, Parker, Thor and Hardison, then Clint. Using the maps snagged from the cockpit and intuition, they headed for one of the canyons. Hardison continued to whine until a rumbling sound caused them to look back and watch the plane slide out of sight.

"Coulson, about time you got here. Report." Nick snapped.

Phil laid a file on the Director's desk.

"MarCom is now firmly in the Stark Industries fold. Marx and his daughter have been given new identities, and we're using intel from the daughter to begin surveillance on the Russians who are fronting for the _Red Room_."

"What about the Avengers?"

"I have not communicated with them since they left Germany for Rome."

"What about Potts?"

"She is equally worried, Sir."

He watched Fury carefully noting his ashen skin tone and the rubbing of his forehead.

"Are you unwell, Director?" He asked quietly.

"I'm fine." Fury snapped. "Get with Hill she'll bring you up to speed on this end."

"Yes, Sir."

Phil closed the door behind him.

Assistant Director Maria Hill looked up as she stood outside The Avengers' Tower. Going through that door could very well be a point of no return. Her entire career had been one of service first with the military then with SHIELD. She did not want to be disloyal to the Director, but she also did not like the road her agency or her friend was traveling. Straightening her spine, she opened the door and walked through.

"Welcome, Assistant Director Hill. If you step into the elevator I will take you to Assistant Director Coulson and Ms. Potts."

"Thank you, JARVIS."

Natasha Romanoff prided herself on being the best at all she turned a hand to doing, but thinking back on the past week she'd had several of her preconceived notions majorly adjusted. She shifted her position to move off a bruise only to have the arms holding her tighten.

"Rest, Mladshaya syestra." She huffed out a breath.

She was resting in the arms of the most amazing part of the journey—this nightmarish thirty-six hours in the snow and wind had left its mark.

She had been ignoring the pain in her head and shoulder for several hours simply putting one foot in front of the other focusing on James' back to keep oriented. She had grayed out momentary, and the disorientation saw her step out into open air. Adrenaline cleared her head enough to think this was not the way the Black Widow should die when her descent jerked to a stop.

Natasha looked up into the bright insane smile of Eliot's thief. Parker held her until James turned and pulled her up with his cybernetic arm being careful of her dislocated shoulder.

"You're very strong." The assassin said.

The smile brightened.

"I hang off buildings by my fingertips. Let's go!"

Parker had smacked her on the ass and shoved her to follow James.

Through the grumbling and the whining, Eliot refused to stop out in the open and had pushed them until James settled her on his back and Bruce somehow channeled energy from the Other Guy to stay on his feet. They were all badly lagging by the time they stumbled into the ER at Gunnison Valley Hospital.

After everyone had been treated, Tony's ankle stabilized in a walking boot, her arm in sling to take the pressure off her shoulder, and Hardison's wrist put in a cast. Eliot and Bruce had a glaring contest, which Bruce lost, while one of the nurses recommended the quaint mom and pop motel where they spent the night.

Everyone but Clint and Eliot was in the restaurant finishing breakfast when a mid-size RV pulled into the parking lot. They ignored it until Parker had jumped up and ran out the door to jump into Eliot's arms causing him to flinch when her heel met with the wound on his back.

"Eliot?" Clint and Parker asked.

"Just a bruise … It's okay." He set her down gently.

Once everyone was loaded in the RV, Bruce had pulled him into the privacy of the bedroom.

"You need to be careful. These ribs have barely started to knit." He scolded.

After re-wrapping the ribs, Bruce turned to repack his kit. A broad hand on his arm stopped him.

"Thanks, Doc." Eliot said quietly.

Natasha had watched them as she'd stepped out of the bathroom, and realized how little she understood this man who she thought she knew so well.

Now they were rolling eastward, Bruce taking a turn at driving while everyone else sprawled through the RV sleeping or in Tony's case drawing and talking to JARVIS. They'd talked to Phil and Pepper when they'd stopped at something called Sapp Brothers in Kansas for dinner.

Pepper cried and Phil's eyes were suspiciously shiny when he'd seen her. Search and rescue had found the plane. They said Colonel Rhodes had been beside himself when they couldn't find the passengers and was bringing the suit to the Tower for diagnostics.

Natasha didn't like that she wasn't privy to all the details of what was happening, but could understand Eliot's reasoning. She also observed that things were still rocky between her Volk and Yastreb. She would wait until this was finished then smack their heads together if they did not fix things.

They did not tell Phil they were bringing the Winter Soldier home, but Eliot was always bringing home strays and wounded creatures. Phil would adjust.

Happy with her plans she settled against James' chest for a nap.

It was after dark when JARVIS opened the doors of the Tower's loading dock and Eliot backed the RV inside. Tony and Natasha were the first ones to the elevator, anxious to be reunited with their lovers. They were still being hugged and scolded when the rest of the team and Happy with their luggage made it to the 'family floor'.

Natasha heard Phil gasp and loosen his hold when 'Bucky' Barnes stepped out of the elevator behind Steve. The Assistant Director's quick glance took in the flash of metal between his glove and coat sleeve.

"Yasha … Winter Soldier is Bucky Barnes?" He gasped. "Where did you find him?" He looked at Natasha for answers.

"I did not find him. Eliot has apparently known him for some time."

"Eliot?"

He tried to stop being the Assistant Director and just be Phil … Eliot's friend, but it was Assistant Director Coulson who asked the question.

Eliot's expression turned hard.

"SHIELD abandoned me after Moreau. I found my own resources." His tone softened when he looked at James. "I found a friend."

Seeing the distance between Clint and Eliot, Phil started to ask when a pinch to the ribs stopped him. A minute shake of red hair told him not to ask.

"I took the liberty of putting Miss Parker and Master Hardison's belongings in rooms on your floor, Eliot." JARVIS informed them.

"Thanks, JARVIS. Parker, show him. Be back in an hour for whatever take-out we're ordering."

"Great!" She shoved Hardison back in the elevator.

"Woman …" The door closed on the hacker's complaints.

Tony and Eliot exchanged a look.

"After dinner we talk."

When Nick Fury walked in his office balancing his coffee and several files from AD Hill, he was surprised to see the person who was looking out his windows.

"Agent Spencer."

"Director Fury."

Eliot turned.

"I'm quite cross with you Agent."

"Wouldn't be the first time, Sir."

"Why don't you explain to me where you and your team of miscreants have been?"

"Certainly, Sir."

The office door opened allowing the Avengers and SHIELD's two Assistant Directors to step into the office.

"What's the meaning of this? This meeting is classified."

"Since it pertains to us we felt we should all be here." Steve answered.

"Along with the papers Agent Wolfman has for your signature, oh one-eyed king of lying liars." Tony added.

Fury's good eye narrowed at the billionaire before grabbing the folder Eliot held out. They settled around the conference table while the Director read the contracts. Every once in a while he rubbed his forehead.

"You really expect me to sign this?"

"I do."

"There is nothing that would make me sign these papers."

"Thought that might be your answer." Eliot handed him another folder.

"Where did you get this?" Fury demanded.

"Shouldn't have left me flapping in the wind for so many years. It gave me time to talk to a lot of people with very long memories."

A lot of things happened at once. Fury pulled his weapon and shot three rounds into Eliot. Clint threw something that embedded in the Director's neck while Hill and Coulson tackled him to the ground. Bruce and Clint ran to where Eliot lay on the floor while the rest of the Avengers stood from where they'd crouched behind the heavy wooden table.

"Tell me he's wearing a vest." Clint looked at Bruce.

Hill was calling for Medical as Bruce noticed blood running on the floor, and at the corner of Eliot's mouth. Coulson ejected the clip from Fury's gun. The Director had a habit of mixing armor piercing rounds with his regular shells.

"One was armor piercing, Dr. Banner."

"It caught him high in the right chest. No exit. Another hit one of the ribs broken in the plane crash ... It may have punctured a lung."

While Bruce was checking Eliot physically, Clint was trying to get response through their bond, but the link was silent.

They helped lift Eliot carefully onto the gurney, Bruce following close behind.

"The Director is to be sedated and restrained until we can assess his mental and physical condition with a twenty-four hour guard." Coulson ordered.

Eliot was taken straight to surgery.

An hour later Fury was in the operating theater next door to Eliot's. Brain scans showed a blood vessel that had been leaking slowly putting pressure on the Director's brain. The age of the injury indicated it had happened during Loki's attack on the Helicarrier.

The news brought Clint's guilt over the incident back to the surface. Eliot had been protecting them … Him by dealing with a brain damaged Fury. Barton slipped out of the waiting room and returned to the Director's office and gathered the contracts. The information Eliot had gathered on Fury's black ops missions he shoved in the nearest shredder. He was still getting nothing through the bond.

When he got back he handed Phil the folder with the contracts.

"Can whichever one of you is Acting Director sign these things before Fury's back in the mix … You know … In case he's still a giant dick?" Clint asks.

"I'll just hold on to these until he wakes up. Then make a decision."

Phil tried to soothe the agitated archer.

"It's the least you can do after all Eliot's been through."

"It'll be better if Nick does it … Realizes you're not part of SHIELD any more by his choice."

"After what he did you think he deserves easy." Clint glared at his former handler.

"Agent Barton …" Hill was stopped by Phil's hand on her arm.

"Trust me, Clint."

"If this goes bad those are two words you will never say to me ever again." Clint growled.

He glared at both Assistant Directors before heading toward the doctor wearing Eliot's blood.

"How is he Doc?" Tony asked.

"Baring complications, Agent Spencer should be up and around in a few days. The bullet nicked the top of the lung, but passed through muscle so the shoulder should be fine with therapy. There was a recently healed break in one of the ribs that re-broke when the bullet impacted and punctured his right lung. I'd want that completely healed before he attempts anything strenuous. The nurse will get you when he's settled."

"Thank you, Doctor. Now let's have a chat about moving Wolfman to my Tower." Tony's voice trailed off as he continued down the hall with the doctor.

He came back almost dancing.

"Everything goes okay we can take him to the Tower late tomorrow."

By supper the next day, an exhausted Eliot was pinned down by Parker. He hadn't talked to anyone ... Not even telepathically. Clint nerves were fraying around the edges so he called the doctor. The doctor said there was no reason for Eliot not to speak. When he finally did, Clint was not ready for the question he asked.

"Where's the contracts, Clint?"

"Phil has them."

Eliot started to turn away.

"He asked me to trust him. He knows what we're attempting." Clint pleaded.

"Clint, I love Phil like a brother, but he doesn't know everything that goes on at SHIELD."

"I suppose you do?" Clint crossed his arms over his chest defensively.

"Is this how you want to end this?" Eliot asked tiredly.

"End … NO!"

"I can liaison with the Avengers, I can run cons with _Leverage International_ , but I cannot and will not be Fury's pet wolf any longer."

"And you won't be." Phil commented from the door.

"Are the contracts signed?" Eliot's tone was hopeful.

"No, but Eliot Nick wasn't himself since the invasion. The brain bleed …"

"Was he having a brain bleed when he sent me under with Moreau, or any of the other ops he only carries in his head?"

"The last few … Maybe."

"I take it the bastard didn't die on the table."

"No, but …"

"Just get out of here … Both of you."

With his enhanced healing, Eliot was back in the gym within a week, working to get his lung and shoulder back in condition. Now that he was no longer pulling missions for Fury, he and Clint had been spending time really getting to know each other once more. The subject of SHIELD between them was like the mission in Budapest. They all remember it very differently. Three days after the shooting, Eliot re-opened his end of their bond. It didn't magically fix their relationship, but it helped keep them on track, and the make-up sex was mind blowing.

A quick shower and change of clothes and Eliot was in the kitchen deciding on dinner when Tony blew through on his way to the coffee pot.

"Sir, Director Fury is in the lobby."

"Do not let him up." Tony growled.

"I'll go."Eliot laid down the meat he'd taken from the refrigerator.

"Not without me." Tony pushed past Eliot into the elevator.

Eliot rolled his eyes.

"Fine."

If Fury was surprised to see Stark he kept it to himself.

"Director."

"Agent Spencer. I wanted to personally drop this off, and apologize for my actions while I was compromised."

Eliot looked in the folder.

"Thank you, Director."

"Spencer … Stark."

They watched until Fury's SUV drove off before going back upstairs. Eliot headed for the bar and poured two fingers of Gentleman Jack ... Downed it ... Then poured another for himself and one for Tony.

Tony looked up from the pages in the folder.

"I'll be damned."

He bumped his glass against Eliot's.

"The king is dead. Long live the king."

~ Fini ~


End file.
